JK Rowling called ‘Britain’s nastiest novelist’ in New Statesman

[IwantToRetire]

After setting out the examples of nastiness in recent works including The Ink Black Heart and The Running Grave, he stated that Rowling has evolved “from saint-like Labour Party-supporting children’s author to polemical political activist, seemingly obsessive about the tabloid media, Scottish nationalism and, most provocatively for her millennial readers, gender-critical feminism”.

He claimed that she lacks “self-awareness” because she “condemns vicious keyboard warriors and hysterical reactionaries in her books but engages in similar behaviour herself online”.

“In another world, JK Rowling could be a character in a book by Robert Galbraith: brittle, insecure, cruel.”

Following the backlash, the New Statesman appeared to alter the original headline to “JK Rowling, Britain’s Gloriously Nasty Novelist”.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/15/jk-rowling-called-britains-nastiest-novelist-new-statesman/

I dont think it is a surprise that some male writer would say this. The question is why would the New Statesman want to publish it?

Article behind paywall but can be read at https://archive.ph/LJMFL

GailBlancheViola · Yesterday 14:27

You would think those throwing out such accusations would have the evidence at their fingertips, but alas not.

I know, isn't it strange? It's almost as if they just make it up as they go along, exaggerate hugely, or twist her words. I mean, I'm sure that TRAs would never do such a thing, it's simply that when they're aske for actual evidence, they were taking the cat to the vet or something.

asked for goodness sake!

Come on @PrawnLiberationFront, we’re all waiting for proof of your statements. You usually have so much to say, so why the sudden silence?

Well, I suppose PLF has about eleventy billion tweets to read through, so it may take some time.

I actually had a mild argument with my dad the other day over whether JKR was a transphobe. He’s (obviously) much older than I am, liberal (he is Guardian-level, I’m XR level on climate change and human rights but moderately GC in some respects), degree in law and normally we can drag out a slightly trumped-up fight about eg use of language in a newspaper for up to an hour because we like to debate. But we had a conversation where I said those two particularly controversial tweets weren’t transphobic. He just snapped back that they were and when pressed said I knew why and don’t pretend I don’t. No evidence he had read the tweets, no argument, just “they were transphobic”. This is someone who can usually pull one of his over 4000 books off the shelf.
I think the JKR hatred is a version of something like Orwell’s Two Minutes’ Hate. Hate is directed at someone for not much reason to promote unity and motivate the population.

If the journalist had wanted to call out female writers for writing 'unladylike' crime novels, there are so many more fitting targets he could have gone after. Mo Hayder and Martina Cole books both absolutely revel in gore and in gruesome scenes and descriptions. Galbraith is far more moderate and prioritises excellent plotting and characterisation over cheap thrills.

I am a big reader of thrillers and cheap gore has its place if that's what one is looking for. There are loads of sub-genres in crime and thriller, you can choose whatever you want. And since gory scenes have existed in western literature since the Iliad (someone decapitates a Trojan and plays football with the head) and the Odyssey (gruesome depiction of the blinding of the Cyclops, complete with 'sizzling' eyeball fluid), then women have just as much freedom to write and read it as do men.

Oh but I forgot, JKR is an evil terf who makes life 'unsafe' for vulnerable trans people who never have to open or even go near a book of hers if they don't want to. It must be very traumatic for them.

Haven’t checked since yesterday, so did the decapod not return with their swathes of evidence and links? Awww. Gutted.

Idles away the time, whilst we wait, wondering what exactly the prawns are being liberated from

I just assumed 'prawns' was a euphemism for something small, pink and wrinkly.

My guess is that PLF was just taking advantage of an unexpected snow day.

😂 Indeed. Imagine a brain power competition

Hillary and JKR vs Trump and Willoughby?

Would be a sight to behold..
🤔🤔🤔😂