That's true. I almost wonder whether I don't find it annoying because as a child I was often very much like Conrad - following someone else, being downtrodden, etc. And I found the Stallery subplots much more interesting than the Millie one.
I know what you mean re: being critical/writer's eye, but I think maybe in this case it's more personal preference than a flaw in the actual writing? (Although criticism is generally based on personal preference anyway.) I'd be interested to see what you write about House of Many Ways and the Game, which to me are quite weak (especially the former!). I probably forgive DWJ's earlier books because they have emotional significance for me, whereas I find a lot of her most recent work a bit clunky. Have you noticed that?
I wouldn't go so far as to say it's annoying; just that it doesn't hook me as intensely as a different approach might. And yeah, it does kind of map a bit to earlier books vs. later ones; I can't be sure how much of that has to do with when I read them, but I think a lot of her strongest work, at least in structural terms, was on the earlier side. (She's always been able to turn a great phrase and make up really vivid characters.)
I know what you mean re: being critical/writer's eye, but I think maybe in this case it's more personal preference than a flaw in the actual writing? (Although criticism is generally based on personal preference anyway.) I'd be interested to see what you write about House of Many Ways and the Game, which to me are quite weak (especially the former!). I probably forgive DWJ's earlier books because they have emotional significance for me, whereas I find a lot of her most recent work a bit clunky. Have you noticed that?