One of the first reviews of Lethal White on Goodreads is this:
I've written a fair amount about how I struggle to separate the art from the artist (most explicitly here) and I find myself really struggling with JK Rowling right now. Is this a writer I should be supporting? Should I even be writing a review on this page and giving her space? Should I never read or think about Harry Potter again? This would certainly hurt my podcast listening choices, not to mention my current goal of reading Harry Potter in Spanish.
I don't have answers. Historically, I've been able to cut ties with artists altogether (Michael Jackson) or make sure I don't support artists financially (Orson Scott Card). But, in light of all the protest going in in the world, particularly the comments about how silence gives power to the oppressor, I wonder if me just saying "I got it at the library" or "this was a book given to me" is just not good enough.
Rowling is wrong. She's arguing semantics and missing the point.
She's also quite philanthropic. She runs her own charity, Lumos, that works to help women and children combat poverty worldwide and assists a variety of other organizations, including health, social, and poverty charities. So she has a very large blind spot and bias and is openly transphobic, but she does do a lot of good in other arenas.
And she's still a heck of a writer.
Lethal White is the fourth book in the Cormoran Strike series. I was given a copy of the book by my father-in-law and so I did not financially support Rowling, but am I supporting her right now by talking about her? I guess I am.
Look, it's good. I've liked all four books in the series and this one might be my favorite one yet.
I kind of hate myself right now.
Don't hate yourself. This is really a baffling dilemma. I didn't know she runs that charity and is so philanthropic. Let's look at it this way- maybe eventually she'll come around and see that she was wrong? There's always hope.
ReplyDelete