Sunday, July 22, 2007
I've just emerged from 24 hours of reading, with one break to sleep, to complete the 759 page Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It did not disappoint.
My nephew, Austin, got me hooked on the Potter tales while I was living in Bluffton and recovering from my last bout of illness. We were soon sneaking off to go see the first movie...then the second. At age 10, he could already quote large sections of the text verbatim. We would often get together to discuss the finer points of the story line and where we thought it was going.
I knew from the first time I read one of Rowling's books that I was reading an epic hero tale. So, this last book did not hold significant surprises for me as far as where the tale went. I knew that. Though when Austin and I had our discussions, I didn't tell him that one of his favorite characters had to die, even though I knew that was coming. It had to come since that is the fate of that character in the epic hero tale.
But Rowling has winded the tale up as expected, but with that wonderful tale telling ability of hers that is so fresh...it makes this oldest story seem so new. So, even an old scarred veteran of the hero tale like myself, can enjoy it once again with fresh eyes.
I'm quite envious of anyone first picking up this series for the first time. As I look up on my bookshelf where the now complete series holds a place of honor next to my Joseph Campbell books, Jung and Graves, I realize how much I'm going to miss this bit of mythos in my life.
I wonder if she will write something else now. She certainly doesn't need to. I wonder if she is one of those people like myself who write out of love and compulsion to the craft, without concern for what rewards it may or may not bring. Will the Harry Potter books be her magnum opus? Or has she got some other wonderful product of her imagination waiting to emerge from her pen?
So....are you reading it yet? Planning to?
Do you have a favorite character? Are you surprised I have a weakness for all things green, silver and a certain potion's master?
Happy Sunday...a good book on a Sunday is a wonderful thing.
I'm glad it was good--I love how she writes and hope that this isn't it for her.
Need to send you a picture of the little brown boy goat--he's now bigger than his mom and he's turning white and fluffy from his shoulders back--I think the Angora goat is his dad. Whatever, he is the strangest looking thing I've ever seen! Leave it to me to have a 'mutt' goat that is LITERALLY half and half!
My Frogma hits literally doubled last week from people looking for Diagon Alley Soho - that was what the little street fair Scholastic set up for HP & the Half Blood Prince was called; this year they just called it Harry Potter Place so people looking for the event under Diagon Alley got THIS!
Rosie, you do realize that Harry Potter is satanic with witches and stuff. That’s why I won’t read the books. But I love the movies, haven’t missed a one. There is a big difference in reading the book and seeing the movie you know and if I can remember what it is I’ll feed you the bullshit story. Oh, I remember, books don’t have the smell of popcorn and the sound of big speakers. Hey it’s the best I can do on the fly.
I'm reading the Poisonwood Bible and then I'll get to the big book.
I've written a novel myself, and it's hell when you kill off a character. But it must be done.