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Stephen King has never been shy about expressing his opinions, and his 2013 comments on popular YA and erotic fiction series simply proved his outspoken attitude. Sending shockwaves through the literary world and fandom, the horror genre writer surprisingly took aim atTwilightand even attacked Jennifer Lawrence’sThe Hunger Games.
In an interview withThe Guardian, Stephen King dissed popular works of fiction that have been adapted into films, earning millions. Criticizing Stephenie Meyer’s series, while going ballistic on Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, King also dismissedFifty Shades of Grey. However, amid showers of criticism, King lauded one writer with utmost praise—J.K. Rowling.
Stephen King’s Attack onTwilight, Hunger Games,andFifty Shades of Grey
Popularly known as the legendary master of horror,Stephen Kingshared his take on some of the biggest literary phenomena of recent years. Appearing for an interview withThe Guardian, the author thus offered his honest opinions onStephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, and EL James’ literary works.
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Despite the novels adapted into films pulling in big bucks and attracting legions of loyal fans towards the franchises, Stephen King seemed rather displeased with the stories. Beginning withRobert Pattinson’sTwilightsaga, King dismissed the vampire saga as little more than a tale of a girl’s transformative love, and called it “teenager p*rn”.
[Twilight books are] really not about vampires and werewolves. They’re about how the love of a girl can turn a bad boy good. I read Twilight and didn’t feel any urge to go on with her.
Further, moving on toSuzanne Collins’The Hunger Gamesnovels, which were later adapted intoJennifer Lawrence’s film series, Stephen King didn’t have any kinder words for this franchise either. Unimpressed by its deeper implications, King remarked thatThe Hunger Gameswas just another dystopian riff on reality TV, similar to his own workThe Running Man.
I read The Hunger Games and didn’t feel an urge to go on. It’s not unlike [my novel] The Running Man, which is about a game where people are actually killed and people are watching: a satire on reality TV.
Eventually, Stephen King took a swipe atEL James’Fifty Shades of Greynovels and claimed that the work lacked depth and substance. King wasn’t swayed by the racy reputation of Jamie Dornan andDakota Johnson’s franchise, and labeled it as “s*xually driven fiction for women between 18 and 25”. He made sure to establish the fact that the novels weren’t worth his continued attention.
I read Fifty Shades of Grey and felt no urge to go on. They call it mommy prn, but it’s not really mommy prn. It is highly charged, s*xually driven fiction for women who are, say, between 18 and 25.
It seems none of the popular novels or franchises that fans have been devouring for years, could impress Stephen King.
The Author Showered Unexpected Praise on J.K. Rowling’s Non-Potter Triumph
However, while Stephen King went ballistic on the popular franchises and was quick to critique their bestselling authors, he had nothing but praise for J.K. Rowling. However, his admiration wasn’t for hericonicHarry Potterseries. Instead, he singled out her non-Potter debut,The Casual Vacancy, as “fabulous”.
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HailingJ.K. Rowling‘s non-Potter triumph, Stephen King drew comparisons to the works of Tom Sharpe and Edward Albee’sWho’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Highlighting the brutal portrayal of societal dysfunction in Rowling’sThe Casual Vacancy, King praised the book’s sharp writing and its exploration of societal issues.
Do you remember Tom Sharpe? It’s a bit like that. And it’s a bit like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? It’s f—ing nasty. And I love it. The center of the book is a dinner party from hell and you say to yourself, ‘These little people in the town of Pagford are a microcosm not just of British society, but Western society as a whole, of a certain class.’
The fact that she set it around this little election that nobody cares about in a shit little town is fabulous. She’s a wonderful storyteller and the writing is better than in any of the Harry Potter books, because it’s sharper.
According to Stephen King, J.K. Rowling’sThe Casual Vacancyis a biting satire that captures the essence of modern British—and by extension, Western society with a depth that he believes may have surpassed the enchantments of the author’s wizarding world.
Twilightfilms are currently available to watch on Netflix.
Hunger Gamesfilms are currently available to watch on AMC+.
Fifty Shades of Greyfilms are currently available to watch on Peacock.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
