Poor AF - her books shunned by her own lead character! (But maybe if Nicola read the historicals she'd be prepared to give the others a go.) It is a bit of paradox, though, you're right - school stories featuring a character who would absolutely despise them.

Agree with most of what you'd say, though (even though I'm far from being a Patrick fan) I wouldn't describe him as outright horrid until Peter's Room. (And come to think of it, in The Thuggery Affair he's almost sympathetic...)