Strike - The JKR TV series

[OnceUponACat]

Apologies if it has been discussed before, I could not find it anywhere.

I am enjoying watching it for but I am annoyed and irked too. For someone like Rawling so many years after HP and still so many cliches: the ugly male detective with the clever cute female sidekick who is happy to work for pittance; Robin’s overgroomed doll look; Cormoran being seen as an appealing partner even though drinks himself to a stupor and is clearly not commitment friendly, etc etc.

Is it me or we could do better than that?

Mirror headline:

JK Rowling slammed as new book features a 'transvestite serial killer of women'

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has caused controversy with her comments on transgender issues and her latest Strike novel has attracted more of a backlash

www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/jk-rowling-slammed-new-book-22681530

This now being followed up by other papers and is all over twitter being used to say it reveals her bigotry!

It was OK in Silence of the Lambs though, wasn't it?

@Milicentbystander72

Quick question - id like yo read Troubled White but I haven't read the first 4 Strike novels. I have watched every episode of the tv series though. I know tv is never the same as books completely, but if I ordered the new book would I get what's going on? (I know each book is a stand alone case, but I mean the exact relationship/chemistry between Robyn and Strike)

I think you'd be ok. The TV series misses some stuff out but the continuing Robin/ Strike story is pretty much the same.

@CrazyPigeonLadyMarried2Trans

Ah Strike the first warning sign of what was to come. Nowadays I only engage with HP through fanfiction site AOE3 where there are plenty of LGBT writers out there at toning for the sins of the mother

So you prefer pale imitations of the original writer? Figures. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ive heard of some of that fan fIction deliciously

Very rude some of it 😱

Thanks Tinsel, I was going to pre-order now but haven't read the others yet. I think I will do that.

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

Ive heard of some of that fan fIction deliciously

Very rude some of it 😱

Rude is one way to put it. shudder

www.theguardian.com/books/2020/sep/15/troubled-blood-by-robert-galbraith-review-a-cosy-blast-from-the-past

This is the Guardian review.

No mention of anything referred to by Pink News.

I like that Robin is a very 'together' character (except for the PTSD). She takes very good care of her health and body, dresses well, is self-possessed, can act different roles to make different impressions when useful to her... and YET she doesn't want a conventional job or life. She wants to do something risky and interesting. Being so together is probably part of her reaction to the rape she suffered - she's so determined to be ok. And it's why she finds the panic attacks so undermining, because she's so determined to be in control of herself. She's a much more complex character than young women usually get to be in fiction. That may not come across fully in the tv series if you haven't read the books.

Won't be bothering with the new book because of the lazy transvestite serial killer trope.

@Nicetableinnit

Won't be bothering with the new book because of the lazy transvestite serial killer trope.

Showing your complete ignorance there, pet. You’re just jumping on the bandwagon without actually knowing the storyline.

@merrymouse

www.theguardian.com/books/2020/sep/15/troubled-blood-by-robert-galbraith-review-a-cosy-blast-from-the-past

This is the Guardian review.

No mention of anything referred to by Pink News.

There has definitely been a noticeable shift in their writing. They would never have posted anything that even sniffed of a positive article related to JKR. Looks like they’re recognise that going woke, did actually mean going broke.

You’re just jumping on the bandwagon without actually knowing the storyline

Yup

Always better to check things for yourself

'Showing your complete ignorance there, pet. You’re just jumping on the bandwagon without actually knowing the storyline'

Am I? I've read a full synopsis and have seen advance text.
I don't like lazy, overdone tropes - cross-dressing, serial killer is right up there in boring, crime stereotypes even as a sub-plot. I also don't like gory or sexualised violence so avoid writers like Val McDermid. I don't need to read everything she's written to decide I'm not going to like Wire in the Blood.
I find police procedurals a bit dull don't read Ian Rankin...
It's perfectly fine to decide NOT to read something from a review, or the jacket blurb or the marketing copy. That's why those are all so important to the publisher - getting them pitched at the audience they're aimed at. People make split decisions on whether or not to read a book on the blurb all the time. I should know, I write them.

Am I? I've read a full synopsis and have seen advance text.

I would find that more believable if you hasn’t made your earlier comments. I couldn’t care less if you’re a writer. It means diddly squat, if you’re happy to misrepresent JKR and this book.

I thought Robin was the absolute driving force in the lethal white book and TV adaptation. It's more like Cormoran is her sidekick! She does the brave stuff, the going under cover, digging up the dirt, running to the car, she takes the risks. They work as a team but she's very much more than just a support.

The books and TV are slightly male gaze, but most books are. I'm reading another detective story just now, it's enjoyable enough nonsense, but the male characters are all handsome creepy sleazes held up as heroes, the girls are all beautiful (but emotionally fragile) with amazing arses, and constantly up for shagging ALL the blokes. And it's written by a woman

hasn’t = hadn’t

I wish we at least could escape the male gaze stuff in books written by women but I'm still a Strike series fan.

'I would find that more believable if you hasn’t made your earlier comments. I couldn’t care less if you’re a writer. It means diddly squat, if you’re happy to misrepresent JKR and this book.'

Whatever. I'm not a writer. I work in publishing, ( yup, that one) and stand by the fact that you can make a judgment on whether or not to invest your time in a book based on marketing copy, reviews, jacket blurb, synopsis. Although, as someone who tries to get people to read our books I would bloody love it if the standard was - read it anyway, even if you hate the subject/topic/the reviews say it sucks.

It's not misrepresenting anyone to say I think the crossing dressing serial killer trope should never have left the 70s/80s/90s where it belongs. It's a big yawn from me.

Not sure how anyone could see strike as ugly and robin as a dolly bird tbh

*Nicetableinnit said: “I don't like lazy, overdone tropes - cross-dressing, serial killer is right up there in boring, crime stereotypes even as a sub-plot. I also don't like gory or sexualised violence so avoid writers like Val McDermid. I don't need to read everything she's written to decide I'm not going to like Wire in the Blood.
I find police procedurals a bit dull don't read Ian Rankin...
...I should know, I write them.”

Do you start four consecutive sentences with “I” when you write them?

Well.public seem to like these books.
Troubled blood number 1 best seller book and Kindle version on Amazon

@TinselAngel

It was OK in Silence of the Lambs though, wasn't it?

Sorry to derail, but I believe there were protests from LGB groups at the time, including outside cinemas- even though Thomas Harris took inspiration from real life killers including Ed Gein who dressed in his dead mother’s clothing and wanted to make a “woman suit” out of female flesh.

I obviously won’t be drawing any parallels here.

But Silence did win Oscars so maybe the LGBT community can cancel all movies by Academy members 🤔

And if you were being sarcastic I’m sorry for not picking that up 😃

I've started a separate thread but I'll put this here too. James Kirkup in the times today.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trans-activists-hate-rowling-because-shes-a-woman-q0xnj2tx3?shareToken=88c41971d627e3407879a0f46a3c5a48