Harry Potter

I just finished reading the Harry Potter series. It was like putting on an old comfy pair of socks on a cool evening! I had read them before as they were published but since the last book was published I had wanted to read them in succession. I can't believe the difference it made in the story as a whole! When each new novel came out I found myself delving into the grey matter of my brain to remember bits and pieces that were being referred to. It was refreshing to be able to enjoy them without that strain on my noggin.

I had an English teacher once who said that every novel should be read twice: once to understand the plot and once to see what the author is doing. The second time around I was able to notice how Rowling was setting things up for the end as far back as the first book.

The third novel is easily my favorite. The character of Sirius is soulfully haunting to me. I cried when when he left the pages and always hoped for more of a background explanation on his character. The third book is the dawn of a more adult style of writing and definitely a more adult subject matter. I'm glad I wasn't reading this book as a child because the execution in it and definitely the Dementors would have kept me up at night staring terrified into the dark corners of my bedroom!

The fourth book is probably my least favorite. It dragged on and on and on! In hindsight I wonder if it was pumped full of filler to satisfy our hunger for more and keep us feeling sated for a little longer while Rowling had a hiatus between novels.

The fifth book made me wonder why Rowling had portrayed Harry Potter as being so angry. He's either yelling at someone or brooding over something for the entirety of the novel. It's almost draining to the reader! I understand that Rowling was trying to portray how angry and alone some teenagers feel but to me it was excessive.

Permit me a small aside here regarding the fifth novel. This novel came out when I was on holiday in Britain. I couldn't help but notice how many people were reading it! I was in Bath and at the Roman Baths and all around the outskirts were a sea of people with yellow book jackets in front of their faces. They were standing in an amazing piece of history and instead of drinking it all in they were walking through it blindly with their noses in a book! It was a funny sight to see indeed!

It will be interesting to see how the sixth book is adapted for film. It's mostly the story of Tom Riddle and all of the information is very pertinent and I fear that it will be glossed over in an attempt to put the emphasis on the Draco Malfoy issues and the Horcrux adventure.

The main feeling I got from the final book was how sad Dumbledore's life was. In all the previous books he was a formidable character and in this one he was almost pitiable. The dichotomy was overwhelming. I'm glad Rowling included the '19 years later' portion. It was nice to see the characters all grown up and to see them come full circle with a different vantage. I have always secretly wished that Hermione and Harry would get together. They seem far better suited to each other. Besides that, I always thought that Ron was gay! I don't know why I got that impression but I did. It was said in an interview with Rowling that Dumbledore was gay and I must say that tidbit went over my head! Just because he doesn't have a wife and kids he's gay? Well then under the same logic so are the majority of the characters! Ridiculous!

I know I am meant to be strictly writing about the novels but at this point I'm going to chat about the films too. I am very happy with the way they have been adapted for the big screen. Of course, we lose something in translation but we gain something too! The sets were incredible and I must say my imagination didn't do portions of the book justice! The actors have crept into my psyche. I can't help myself picturing the actors while I read the books! I hear that the final book will be made into 2 movies. I'm glad about that. It's true; there is too much going on that can't be purged from the plot. My vote is that they will end the first film after the scene when they finally find the sword!