That book club member who said fantasy is just for kids

I was in a book club meetup at a coffee shop in Portland about 6 months ago. This woman in her 50s kept saying fantasy novels are just childish escapism and not real literature. She said it right after I recommended The Name of the Wind, which I think has some of the best prose I've ever read. I asked her if she'd actually finished a fantasy book before or just judged it from the cover. She got quiet and said she skimmed the first Harry Potter once. Has anyone else dealt with someone who dismisses entire genres without giving them a real chance?

2 comments

2 Comments

rubys802d ago

Oh I've totally been there! I just handed them a copy of The Hobbit and said start with this one, its short but it might change your mind.

shanem372d ago

My buddy Mark had the same thing happen at a bar in Seattle, handed the guy a copy of The Lies of Locke Lamora and he finally shut up about it after reading the first chapter. @rubys80's idea with The Hobbit is solid, sometimes you just need to give them the right starter book.