Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.PCS 1/10/84; site mtgzz.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ihnp4!drutx!mtuxo!mtgzz!leeper
From: leeper@mtgzz.UUCP (m.r.leeper)
Newsgroups: net.books,net.sf-lovers,net.flame
Subject: Re: Telling the Plot (re Leeper review)
Message-ID: <825@mtgzz.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Jun-85 10:57:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: mtgzz.825
Posted: Wed Jun 12 10:57:02 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Jun-85 01:47:51 EDT
References: <816@mtgzz.UUCP> <2060@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Middletown NJ
Lines: 41
Xref: watmath net.books:1930 net.sf-lovers:7952 net.flame:10476


 >"It's difficult to tell the plot without ruining (at least
 >partially) the book," wrote Leeper about a new ALICE
 >pastiche.

This is the other Leeper, but I also have views on the
responsibilities of a reviewer.

 >
 >May I point out that ALL of us know the plot of Alice in
 >Wonderland but I doubt if we think that ruins the book.  Do
 >you people REALLY think that rereading a book can never
 >possibly be as much fun as reading it the first time,
 >because the book is -- horrors!  -- "at least partially
 >ruined"?
 >

"Ruin" is a strong word.  All kinds of nasty things can be done to the
reading experience without totally ruining it.  What is important is
does the review DETRACT FROM THE PLEASURE of reading the story.  If so
the reviewer should not do it.  Sure, a second reading can be more fun
than the first, so what?  Does that make it justified for the reviewer
diminishing the pleasure on the first reading?  The second reading is
more pleasurable not because the reader knows the plot in advance,
usually, but because the reader sees more in the story.  And even in
the hypothetical case that knowing the plot in advance actually would
improve the experience, that is apparently not the author's intention.
Otherwise the story would start out "This is the story of how...".

The real problem of reviewing is the work that cannot be reviewed
without detracting from the experience.  Somebody took me to task
recently for spoiling a surprise in the film LADYHAWKE, that of
revealing the nature of the curse.  The complaint was quite correct and
I have no idea what a good review of this film would be since it is
virtually impossible to say anything of substance about the film
without revealing the nature of the curse.  Every review I saw spoiled
this surprise.  Perhaps this is a film that really should not be
reviewed at all.

				Mark Leeper
				...ihnp4!mtgzz!leeper