The experienced reader/critic part of my brain saw the flaws: wooden dialogue, unbelievable coincidence, narrative cliche, and a variety of other narrative black-eyes.
But then another part of my brain took over: the remnant of my adolescent, Mario Brothers-playing, Darth Vader-loving, coin-op obsessing, X-Men reading, Middle Earth-daydreaming self took over. My hard-won critical eye was completely helpless.
And this has happened before (Harry Potter and the early Tom Clancy novels come to mind): for some reason, certain kinds of novels have the ability to short-circuit the taste and discernment I have been cultivating for the last couple of decades. And it feel sooooooo good.
Has this ever happened to you? With what books? And what was it that caught you? __________________
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