Well, you're much closer to the original audience than I am, and it wasn't published that long before you were born... so I do think your reaction matters a fair bit. And yes, that's about how I think I might reply, too. (Though if it were "smallpox", I'd rather think "oh no, who's brought it back??".)
It's just very strange to me and maybe gets in the way of me empathizing with Thomas as much as I'm intended to.
Indeed... There's no reason to assume that everyone would react with horror, and given that I don't think we get much of this in the next trilogy, I think that Donaldson might have realised that. As it is, I think the negative reaction might as well be due to Covenant living in a stereotypical small town, and, if they're cutting him off from anything, why doesn't he leave? It's probably because he bought it with Joan and there's too many memories involved, but it does get contrived.
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Oh, thank you for dropping by!
Well, you're much closer to the original audience than I am, and it wasn't published that long before you were born... so I do think your reaction matters a fair bit. And yes, that's about how I think I might reply, too. (Though if it were "smallpox", I'd rather think "oh no, who's brought it back??".)
It's just very strange to me and maybe gets in the way of me empathizing with Thomas as much as I'm intended to.
Indeed... There's no reason to assume that everyone would react with horror, and given that I don't think we get much of this in the next trilogy, I think that Donaldson might have realised that. As it is, I think the negative reaction might as well be due to Covenant living in a stereotypical small town, and, if they're cutting him off from anything, why doesn't he leave? It's probably because he bought it with Joan and there's too many memories involved, but it does get contrived.