To wish Kate Atkinson would stop writing "S/he puzzled"

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

On the off-chance that she's on here.

I love KA, have enjoyed every single book of hers I've read, but THIS is cropping up increasingly frequently and it's driving me mad. Yes, it's technically a verb, but people DON'T 'puzzle' in real life. It breaks the spell, and makes me think of muzzles/nuzzling. In Transcription, which I'm reading atm, someone has a 'puzzle' every few pages and it annoys me so much I can't concentrate on the next bit.

To make matters worse, people are puzzling over things they wouldn't HAVE to puzzle over if they actually paid attention and applied a tiny bit of common sense. Example:

"Whenever I hear that song, "I know where I'm going" I always think, "Do I?" said Daisy.
"Do you what?" puzzled Juliet.

Disclaimer: lighthearted, obviously. But stop it anyway Kate.

Tutt shite lol

Women always “peep their eyelashes “. How? I’ve tried it- I just look I’m having a seizure .

Joanna Trollope keeps writing “S/he let a beat fall”. I think she means they paused before replying.

Peep through their eyelashes ffs

I can't remember who the author is of the book I've just read but I've noticed an overuse of people staring! Rita stared at him. Em stared at Rita. It's constant!

All the JB's have the death of someone close to the main characters as character development. I'm glad it's not 'abuse as a child' instead, but I read 3 or 4 of the JB's in order, one after the other, and decided I'd not read a KA again.

Can someone point me to the Transcriptions spoiler thread?

I've read the novel, didn't live it, but would like to see what others are talking about.

When KA is on form, she's up there with Margaret Atwood. This particular novel missed the mark for me.

Winter have you read The Testaments yet? Amazing!

I think Kate Atkinson is brilliant, yet manages to wear her brilliance very lightly. Quite some feat.

I will notice her puzzling from now on though.

There are a few writers (not the sublime KA) whose heroines are always "a little too thin" or have eyes that are "rather too big for [their] face". ARGH. As if being fat and/or ugly just couldn't be sympathetic.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan Yes! I listened to the audiobook of it. The "twists" I could see coming but I loved it anyway.

I did think that if you hadn't seen the TV series you might be a bit lost because it didn't follow exactly on from the book.

I have never noticed people dancing backwards and forwards in Lee Child books either! I suspect I am skim reading rather than taking in all the words - so all their alternative words for said / walked etc are lost on me!

Pleased to read this thread because it's making me think it might be worth me getting back to God in ruins, a book I bought from our library for tuppence when they were having a clear out. I haven't managed to get past the first chapter or so - it's just been on my bedside table for about 6 months. I'm almost finishing the latest Jackson Brodie though, so once that's done, I'll try again.

And I loved Everyone Brave is Forgiven too, though now the plot completely escapes me. I might need a refresh of Life After Life as well, if that helps me enjoy God in Ruins

I love Kate Atkinson and have never noticed the puzzling!

I have two pet peeves. The first is ‘reached a crescendo’ which many many people use. The other is saying that a character is lying prone when they actually mean supine.

Love this thread.

My favourite author has characters who fold their lips...

She folded her lips..... argh.

I’m not even sure what it means (I have a good guess). Now I’ve noticed it, it happens more and more.

Love KA, especially the Brodie books. Can’t say I noticed the irritations as enjoyed the stories. Also loved Lindsey Davies!

Planet someone on here (cleverer than me) wrote a brilliant parody of that sort of thing - an obviously stunning woman "examining herself critically in the mirror" and noting all her "flaws" (wild curls that resisted taming, heart-shaped face, legs that always seemed a little too long, that sort of thing). Very funny.

Winter I was so so pleased when I realized Aunt Lydia was in it!

DoYouRemember absolutely, go for it!

Chessie got to be honest, I have learned a few things from this thread

Lemon just makes me think of the selfie duck face

Kate Atkinson is a goddess and every sentence she writes is sheer perfection. I’ve never puzzled over her ‘puzzled’s.