ROWLING TO WRITE NEW NOVEL FOR ADULTS

J.K. Rowling to publish first novel for adults

It was recently announced that famed Harry Potter author was turning her literary sights on an older market with a new novel, this one geared toward adults, perhaps the readers of Harry Potter who were children upon the massively successful series' publication.

Initial details are scarce on the new book. It is known that J.K. has inked a deal with Little, Brown Book Group ... which I must admit I find an odd name for a publisher. 

J.K. said of the new book: 

"Although I've enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series, which has been published so brilliantly by Bloomsbury and my other publishers around the world. The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry's success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher. I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life."

I admit mild curiosity where this venture will take the famous author, but I wonder how she is going to tackle her first, 'novel for adults'. As talented as a writer as she is, her vivid imagination, and her solid storytelling, I was always left scratching my head when people reference her wondrous talent and the development as a series. 

I disagree. Her writing improved ... but I would be hard pressed to say that it developed. In the final installments of the series, the books took a turn for the darker, but the subject matter was handled in a haphazard and oddly childish manner. In my opinion, the characters suffered from developmental retardation. For example, Ron progressively became dumber and Hermione more nagging, and that is merely a superficial observation. 

Really, it boils down to a feeling that no matter how 'dark' the series became and how many characters she killed off, the Harry Potter books retained an undeniable childlike naivety in their dealings with adult themes. 

Personally, I felt that D.J. MacHale's Pendragon series was far superior in every regard. It's a shame that he didn't receive the same literary prestige bestowed upon Mrs. Rowling, and I wait with mild reservation to see if she can elevate her writing in this new endeavor.

~ Godzello