Harry Potter author JK Rowling has come out on top in the court case she filed to block the international publication of a series of Russian books about a young sorceress named Tanya Grotter.
During the case, Rowling's attorneys successfully argued that Dmitry Yemets' Tanya Grotter And The Magic Double Bass – the tale of a magical orphan with a strange mark on her face who battles evil, just like Harry – was a clear case of "unscrupulous writing and plagiarism".
However, 29-year-old Yemets said his book, which has sold more than half a million copies in Russia, was simply a parody of the famed children's books. "Like with all parodies, there are common elements, but this is a literary satire," he claimed. In the end, the court disagreed, proclaiming that Dutch publisher Byblos, which planned to distribute the Tanya Grotter book internationally, must "cease and desist from any infringement of Rowling's copyright".
Meanwhile, the mind behind Tanya Grotter managed to see a silver lining in the courtroom defeat. "The publishers of Harry Potter showed that they were scared of competition," said Yemets. "Now everyone will say that Harry Potter had to run away from a little girl."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
