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You could not have misunderstood me more profoundly.
It marks the first time Rowling has given a substantial sit-down since the wholesale upending of her reputation.
If sex isnt real, the lived reality of women globally is erased, she wrote.
It isnt hate to speak the truth.
(Rowling later expanded her position ina sizable blog post.)
(More on that later.)
Phelps-Roper lays out her intent in that essay.
I remain a believer in the power of conversation, she writes.
I dont pretend to have answers to the deep questions at the heart of this series.
But Im more persuaded than ever that talking and listening will help us find the path forward.
A podcast isnt a conversation, however.
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowlingkicks off with a biography of the author in shorthand.
In these early innings, the podcast shows a distinct deference to Rowling.
A sense of righteousness is not incompatible with doing terrible things, says Rowling in the second episode.
In my worldview, conscience speaks in a very small and inconvenient voice.
Its normally saying to you,Think again, look more deeply, consider this.
Her voice lingers, the sound design lending her words weight and gravity.
Shes neither pushed nor made to reflect on whether shes been living up to her own worldview.
That Rowlings perspective so utterly dominates the podcasts opening stages is incredibly frustrating.
The show is less acharacter study of a controversial personand more a defense of someone it claims is misunderstood.
Whether this is the product of naivete or cynicism on the shows part, its hard to say.
He was ultimately canceled, in that he was eventually compelled to leave his job at theTimes.
Millss fingerprints are all overThe Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling.
His voice is the second one you hear after Phelps-Ropers at the start of the first episode.
And then theres the Bari Weiss of it all.
And yet the podcast is titledThe Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling.
What are we even talking about here?
The podcast says it wants to have a conversation.
What it really wants to do is give a sermon.
