So, the Potter thing
Jul. 23rd, 2007 10:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altarielI don't have any particular investment in the Harry Potter books or fandom beyond picking up the books when they come out, and going to see the films roughly around the time they arrive. But obviously I was going to read it this weekend like nearly everyone else (although ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mraltariel for one just read the Wikipedia summary instead).
After the last one, I'd massaged my expectations and investment right down. So I ended up thoroughly enjoying this one. I still think Prisoner of Azkaban is the best, but I thought this was the most coherent of the really long ones. I page-turned all weekend, and not in the "If-I-hurry-up-it-will-be-over-sooner" way in which I read Half-Blood Prince. I was genuinely excited and moved at various points. I wish we could get those last few books now that she's learned how to handle a longer narrative.
Specific things...
Ah, Neville. We always knew you were the hero, really. By far my favourite bit of the story. At last you were able to come into your own. I loved how your school story was still going on in the background, while we were elsewhere with some slightly less interesting people. You did your mum and dad and granny proud, and you will be a great headmaster of Hogwarts one day.
I liked the Dumbledore backstory, and thought the flashback scenes between Snape and Dumbledore were particularly successful. It wasn't much of a surprise that Snape was going to turn out to be complexly-good, but it was nicely done.
I shielded my eyes at all mentions of Lupin and Tonks. But who brought up Teddy Lupin? Was that in there? I missed it and it worries me.
toft_froggy has it right about Slytherin (scroll down to point 7 on the list but the whole post is great).
So, all in all, it delivered according the degree of to my investment. So I suppose I can't complain. It was a lot of fun to know that most of you were reading it at the same time. And now I can get on with other things.
What did you think?
mraltariel for one just read the Wikipedia summary instead). After the last one, I'd massaged my expectations and investment right down. So I ended up thoroughly enjoying this one. I still think Prisoner of Azkaban is the best, but I thought this was the most coherent of the really long ones. I page-turned all weekend, and not in the "If-I-hurry-up-it-will-be-over-sooner" way in which I read Half-Blood Prince. I was genuinely excited and moved at various points. I wish we could get those last few books now that she's learned how to handle a longer narrative.
Specific things...
Ah, Neville. We always knew you were the hero, really. By far my favourite bit of the story. At last you were able to come into your own. I loved how your school story was still going on in the background, while we were elsewhere with some slightly less interesting people. You did your mum and dad and granny proud, and you will be a great headmaster of Hogwarts one day.
I liked the Dumbledore backstory, and thought the flashback scenes between Snape and Dumbledore were particularly successful. It wasn't much of a surprise that Snape was going to turn out to be complexly-good, but it was nicely done.
I shielded my eyes at all mentions of Lupin and Tonks. But who brought up Teddy Lupin? Was that in there? I missed it and it worries me.
toft_froggy has it right about Slytherin (scroll down to point 7 on the list but the whole post is great). So, all in all, it delivered according the degree of to my investment. So I suppose I can't complain. It was a lot of fun to know that most of you were reading it at the same time. And now I can get on with other things.
What did you think?
