I'm quite skeptical. I find the end of a good, well-written thriller, very satisfying, not at all a letdown. That's the payoff.
I think in some ways taxonomy breeds expectations. That's one reason I'm suspicious of literary taxonomies, especially those who compare "mainstream fiction" favorably against "genre fiction." That's an indication of pre-judgment.
No matter that a thriller might in fact be better-written than a novel by a currently fashionable novelist beloved of the critical darlings. A genre book can't possible be as good as a literary book, right? Wrong. And not even mentioning the fact that "mainstream literary fiction" is itself a genre. LOL
I'm quite skeptical. I find the end of a good, well-written thriller, very satisfying, not at all a letdown. That's the payoff.
ReplyDeleteI think in some ways taxonomy breeds expectations. That's one reason I'm suspicious of literary taxonomies, especially those who compare "mainstream fiction" favorably against "genre fiction." That's an indication of pre-judgment.
No matter that a thriller might in fact be better-written than a novel by a currently fashionable novelist beloved of the critical darlings. A genre book can't possible be as good as a literary book, right? Wrong. And not even mentioning the fact that "mainstream literary fiction" is itself a genre. LOL
Except that I’ve contested the very notion of “genre fiction.”
ReplyDeleteAnd the difference between tragedy and thriller is not a matter of taxonomy, but established and traditional structure.