Go ahead--hate me :-)

[spikes_nibblet]

Am I the ONLY person on the face of this planet that isn't madly in love with Harry Potter?? Seriously. I just do NOT get the appeal. All my friends online are fans on some level/degree of insanity, my sister and her hubby are into it, my uptight aunt is all yaysters about it, hell, I couldn't even sit at a restaurant yesterday without taking

Comments

[frelling_tralk]

Not the only one. I read the first book, and wasn't impressed at all :shrug: Mind you I try not to mention that around the fanatical fans, because they always insist I must read the whole series in that case o_0

[spikes_nibblet]

LOL... thank God. I'm not alone! I didn't even read the first book--I read the first few pages and was completely unimpressed, too. Granted, maybe that's unfair, but I have this unofficial rule that if a book doesn't grab me with its first sentence, I'm probably not going to read it. Usually I give it a few pages just to be fair, and sometimes thru the first chapter, but it seriously failed to hook me

[frelling_tralk]

To be fair, it does improve once they get to Hogwarts, but I guess I was expecting a lot better. I knew it's a kid's series, but I was expecting it to be really amazing, and hold obvious appeal for adults as well.

It's so hard to say this without offending someone :P But (just from my own experience) it was definitely the sort of book I read and enjoyed as a young child, but couldn't really get into now. No offense to the millions of adults who do get something out of HP of course! But I found myself reading a chapter on a boy being made to live under the stairs by a family of complete caricatures, and it just held no interest for me

[spikes_nibblet]

YES! That's exactly it. I just remember being a bit confused because it seemed so targeted at kids and I'm sorry--much as I love magical, mystical, fantastical stories, I was bored. Seemed incredibly juvenile to me and I couldn't figure out what I was missing. And, again, treading on thin ice here because you're talking to one of the biggest goober-brains in the world--I'm the doofiest dork around these parts.... and I thought the storylines/writing was a bit silly. ME!! ME!!!

Imagine how I felt to be thinking something fun and silly was uninteresting--it was like the world had shifted into a parallel universe :O

I think I was expecting a whole lot more as well and I was just kind of like, oh... this is the big deal? Huh.

But so many adults love it and clearly there's a reason for this. It's just tough to be around the majority of my friends who are right in the zone with me in every other fandom and all I can do is stare blankly and scratch my head when they talk about HP.

*glomps you* lol

[jamalov29]

You're certainly not the only person not reading HP just now !!
I 've never seen the appeal either. :)

[spikes_nibblet]

*beams*

Sweetie, you just keep giving me more and more reasons to love the frilly heck outta ya :)

I was sure I'd seen you mention liking HP and I was waiting for a tongue lashing... lol.

[jamalov29]

In my last post I wrote that I had never read any HP book nor have I ever seen the movies. :)
But I've also many , many people on my friends list who 're obsessed. ;-)

I guess you've aware of the fantastic Torchwood promo shot with John Barrowman and James which has been all over the place since Monday?
If you're not , it's here , to cheer you up :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/jamalov29/JMandJBarrowman-.jpg

:hugs you, petite chérie::
::loves you too::

[spikes_nibblet]

*humbly kneels before ya*

Teach me your ways, O Wise and Unspoiled One! ;> You've got so much non-HP action up on me, and I claim to be the anti. Funny, that. Hee.

Bah--as I said, I'm surrounded by the love, so I can hardly begrudge people for how they feel. I'm used to being an outsider. And I say that proudly.

Oh! Yes, yes, wooooot! I was a bad Jamesy fangirl and totally forgot to do an LJ squee about the Torchwood gig, but I did see the prettiful pics--however, not of this size and QUALITY, so this IS a new treat.... nummers!! Did indeed cheer me up by a landslide, so thank you soooo much! I really needed some eye candy after the week (and weekend) I had.

Mmmmmm, James. This is gonna be oodles of lovely wonderful GREATNESS.

*hugs you back all snug-like* See--I'm all smiley now :)

[kazzy_cee]

I bought the first book for my eldest son when it first came out. It was a huge hit with him and I read the book out of curiosity. They are well written and so we bought the following books for the kids as they came out and read them once they'd finished.

I think maybe there's a bit of hysteria as this is the last one and it ties up all the loose ends.

Having said that I don't particularly like the films and I've never got into the 'fandom' aspect of it (and some of the fanfic ideas creep me out!!).

[spikes_nibblet]

I actually hear ya, chica :) Thanks for not pounding me, btw... I totally believe they're well-written and really it's wonderful that BOOKS have become so popular lately--when everyone seems to say all kids (and adults) do is watch "the telly." ;)

Nothing against TV--I love TV. But it's not all I do!

And I can understand the hysteria about this being the last book and all the preceding and proceeding mania about that. I think all my quiet little peeps about not caring about Harry Potter over the years just sort of finally exploded when my aunt pointed out the woman reading the book at the table next to ours yesterday. I'm tired of everyone interrogating me the exact same way whenever I say I'm not into it... lol. Gets real old.

And I too have heard of some very disturbing HP ships. Or at least disturbing from what I know of the stories ;)

[kazzy_cee]

Of course the other thing is that they will probably appeal more to people from the UK as the school ideas are very much based on an English boarding school and the UK system of eduction. I expect to others some of the 'inside jokes' won't mean anything at all, and that's why they appeal to UK readers.

oy to HP.

[jenisatsxfbtvs]

I don't care for the books, The movies are alright, as something new to watch, aside from spike and my other obessions spider man, and the xfiles. lol.
other than that I'm clearly not a "fan" of that whole thing.
I'm with you basically?

Re: oy to HP.

[spikes_nibblet]

I'm feeling less weird and lesser weirder the more people comment! I thought it was a long shot that I'd have this many people on my flist who were "meh..." about it all.

Yes! Yes, you ARE with me. And I do thank you for that. You know, while trying not to offend those who aren't ;)

Would I make a great politician or what?

Re: oy to HP.

[jenisatsxfbtvs]

hmm, ok I wanna know your stand points on other issues. lol before I decide to vote for you seriously though. I think i shall read your bio. also, friend you if we tend to stand for the same issues.

Re: oy to HP.

[spikes_nibblet]

Please do! Fire away :) I'm willing to take the heat so long as there's chocolate, Spike and Starbucks involved.

Word to the wise, however--my bio's not exactly completed... I keep meaning to get back and finish things up, but between life being a pill and various other distractions, I tend toward the lazy. Hope that doesn't sway you in the opposite direction ;) I may be incomplete, but I'm passionate and fiery!

Of course, that may not be a good thing... (notice how I never shut up, either?)

[effulgent_girl]

I wasn't really into it until after the second movie where the Ron/Hermione stuff started happening. I can't help but like a love/hate relationship:) Until recently I hadn't read any of the books but I made a deal with my sister that I would read the first 4 books and she would watch 2 seasons of Doctor Who. The books aren't really that spectacular (the ones I've read anyway) but from what I've heard of the last one, it gets better.

[spikes_nibblet]

Thanks for your invaluable input, hon. Can't say I disagree about the appeal of a love/hate relationship ;)

PS: Reading the first 4 books must've taken just shy of 67 years, woman! Seriously--have you SEEN those things!??!?? They could double as a bullet-proof vest!

[effulgent_girl]

I believe I got through all four in a month or less. I read fast:) I'm about to start on #5, which is the biggest.