Harry Potter and the happy fan

[mona1610]

Two nights ago, I finally finished the last of the Potter series and my first reaction was to go to sleep. Four days and four nights of mindless transition between my real world and Harry's wizarding one had taken their toll on me, and it was with three-quarters regret and one-quarter relief that I finally returned to the world I really belonged

Comments

[vyshnavi]

yes :)

[latelyontime]

I know it sounds like blasphemy but I did not like the deathly hallows so much. *looks very sheepish*. I thought it was the most scattered and disconnected book that Rowling wrote so far. What you look upon as small dramatic incidents, only irked me because they seemed to be weak, like a lot of crutches to carry forward the tale which could have been shorter. I do agree that in bits and pieces the writing was extraordinary. I enjoyed the way she has crafted the characters as well as how she has ended the book. I thought the Epilogue was a complete waste of pages and wondered if I should just severe them off the book and pretend it never happened.

It was unputdownable (for me) because I have followed the series so closely but I don't think that it stands as an excellent book outside of the hype and expectation context. I did read it in six hours - two back-2-back sittings interrupted only by meals, but I am not sure I want to go back to it over and over again like I did with the other books. But then, that might just be me.

[mona1610]

But you have to agree, there wasn't much meat left in the main plot to advance the story simply on the basis of Harry and Voldemort's battle. I was quite curious to know how she would fill 700-odd pages with only the quest for horcruxes (considering they'd left Hogwarts for that year). The books have always follow a common formula. They begin with Harry with the Dursleys, then Harry joins the Weasleys before beginning school, then adventures in Hogwarts and the climax between Harry and Voldemort. Followed by the sessions with Dumbledore. With Hogwarts completely out of the picture in the first half, the subplots are essential fillers that mark the progress made on the horcruxes and er.. the other things they need to find. I guess I wasn't disappointed

[latelyontime]

I completely agree... and that is why I felt cheated that a writer of her scope and style had to succumb to introducing small diversions just to fill pages. There was no rule that said that she had to fill the 700 pages. It could have had been a tighter, more gripping 350 page book which might have concentrated the attention on the thing that is the most important - the battle between Good and Evil. I think I read some fan fiction which had more important and beautiful plots - though not the style - in their writing. I also feel (and perhaps unfairly) that all the characters 'knew' this is the end and hence there was a lot of uncharacteristic behaviour and worse of it all - some quick fix solutions to more complex questions. I had hoped that Rowling will surprise us all with a new plot structure and a more detailed rendering of the battle than waste so much time on all the random roaming around and red herrings for "whodead?" that she has indulged in. As an editor, I can see at least eighteen things which either require a better

[mythrandyr]

Master's thesis on Rowling's books? That would be interesting reading. What was it about?

[mona1610]

tsk tsk.. ye of little faith! the most important part of the story starts right after Chapter 20, i.e, from Chapter 21 - The Tale of the Three Brothers! :P But then, I can't promise the last six chapters will not cause the headache to recur. :D

[kingsly]

with my little sense, even I predicted a thing or two a few days before the release.

I *knew* the ending on Wednesday! :-p

[mona1610]

I *knew* the ending on Wednesday! :-p

As all online pirates did!