I hate foreshadowing. It is my least favorite literary device. (Who else do you know that has a favorite, much less a least favorite literary device?)
It’s why I hated Angels and Demons. The first chapter ends with the sentence, or at least I think it’s this sentence, if not, it’s awfully close: “Little did he know that in 24 hours, this information would save his life.” ARGH!! Can’t you let me discover something for myself?
Of course, there were other issues with this book, but we won’t go there.
Foreshadowing is the reason I’m not going to finish Duma Key, Stephen King’s new book. I like Stephen King, especially some of his newer stuff. I liked Bag of Bones, even though the end was a little rough. I think he has found a new voice and I really enjoy his storytelling style. But in this latest book, almost every section in the middle is ending with some sort of foreshadowing pronouncement: “I bet she would have finished that cigarette if she had known it would be her last.” “I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was the last painting I would do.”
But wait! What about book jackets? Aren’t they foreshadowing too? They tell you all about the plot! To tell you the truth, I don’t read book jackets anymore. I only glance at the reviews on the back, but not the reviews themselves. Only the reviewers. If it is a whole bunch of authors, I put the book back. It’s like asking faculty to review other faculty. We’re all great!!
I also judge a book by it’s cover and by it’s title. I like recommendations too. But don’t tell me anything about the plot. I don’t want to know. And no, I don’t watch/read movie reviews either.
I’ve only ever not finished many five books in my life. But I am feeling good about this decision.
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Project 365 – No. 159 (January 27, 2009)
So I lied about the cat photos. Saki cruising past the door where poor Caymus is locked in his room.
Project 365 – No. 160 (January 28, 2009)
My beautiful orchids!! I have a new one in bloom and a third one is about to bloom!!
Project 365 – No. 161 (January 29, 2009)
You’ve seen this one before. M&Ms in bowls.
Project 365 – No. 162 (January 30, 2009)
I know it’s blurry. It’s supposed to be, but you can get the gist of it. I have resorted to “To Do” lists again. In undergrad, I made lists all of the time. Wash hair, grocery shopping, scoop, change sheets… The most mundane things made it on there. Sometime in grad school, I must have stretched my brain enough to remember stuff because I stopped using them. In the past two weeks though, I have become the “To Do List” queen. I found three in my office today.
