rome8180
Legend
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 52,315
I read the last 300 pages of book 6 last night. I find it hard to imagine that the final volume could be any better than that. But for right now my ranking of the books is a very boring 6,5,4,3,2,1.
Dumbledore's funeral was the best writing she's done. It's hard to imagine that it's even the same writer as the one who wrote Book 1.
Fucking Snape. I sense there is still something more going on that we don't know about. Maybe we'll learn the true reason that Dumbledore trusted him. I have some crazy, out-there theories about how Snape is still on the side of good. But realistically, it seems like he was what he seemed. I'm a little disappointed in that, since it's less interesting to my mind.
The one thing I disliked was that Harry broke up with Ginny to protect her. But he's fine with Ron and Hermione coming along with him? Granted, his relationship with Ron and Hermione is different, but they are still people he loves. Voldemort can still use that. And it's not like he put his feelings for Ginny on ice by breaking it off with her. I guess there are fewer outward manifestations of that love, but all in all it just seems like Rowling really doesn't want him to have a girlfriend.
Dumbledore's funeral was the best writing she's done. It's hard to imagine that it's even the same writer as the one who wrote Book 1.
Fucking Snape. I sense there is still something more going on that we don't know about. Maybe we'll learn the true reason that Dumbledore trusted him. I have some crazy, out-there theories about how Snape is still on the side of good. But realistically, it seems like he was what he seemed. I'm a little disappointed in that, since it's less interesting to my mind.
The one thing I disliked was that Harry broke up with Ginny to protect her. But he's fine with Ron and Hermione coming along with him? Granted, his relationship with Ron and Hermione is different, but they are still people he loves. Voldemort can still use that. And it's not like he put his feelings for Ginny on ice by breaking it off with her. I guess there are fewer outward manifestations of that love, but all in all it just seems like Rowling really doesn't want him to have a girlfriend.
rome8180
Legend
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 52,315
There are some other things I want to say that will be interesting only to writers or aspiring writers.
Leaving that aside, I just want to say that this book was the kind of transcendent, spiritual experience that nothing but the best books are. The previous five didn't give that to me. And I don't use the word "spiritual" lightly, since I don't think it has any real meaning. But that's the only way I can think to describe it. As some of you know, I've had death in the family and my own health situation is not great. But for the hours I spent finishing the book I forgot all that. And that after I finished it, I lay awake for about an hour thinking about it and about life in general.
This is what attracted me to reading starting at about the age of seven (when I first started devouring books): the fictional dream, as John Gardner calls it. Bad writing either continually breaks the fictional dream or never lets it get started in the first place. It's not escapist to get swept up in that dream. It's transportive. It's cathartic.
Hopefully, that doesn't sound too melodramatic. I just wanted to express that this book will end up being really important to me.
Leaving that aside, I just want to say that this book was the kind of transcendent, spiritual experience that nothing but the best books are. The previous five didn't give that to me. And I don't use the word "spiritual" lightly, since I don't think it has any real meaning. But that's the only way I can think to describe it. As some of you know, I've had death in the family and my own health situation is not great. But for the hours I spent finishing the book I forgot all that. And that after I finished it, I lay awake for about an hour thinking about it and about life in general.
This is what attracted me to reading starting at about the age of seven (when I first started devouring books): the fictional dream, as John Gardner calls it. Bad writing either continually breaks the fictional dream or never lets it get started in the first place. It's not escapist to get swept up in that dream. It's transportive. It's cathartic.
Hopefully, that doesn't sound too melodramatic. I just wanted to express that this book will end up being really important to me.
rome8180
Legend
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 52,315
I kind of knew that Dumbledore died. I didn't bring it up here because I didn't want it confirmed. Didn't know who killed him.
But honestly, I'm sure I saw it dozens of times. It just was random noise to me. Unfortunately, I saw an article just a couple weeks ago where Rowling apologized for killed Fred Weasley. That stuck in my mind because now it means something to me. I wish I hadn't seen it.
But honestly, I'm sure I saw it dozens of times. It just was random noise to me. Unfortunately, I saw an article just a couple weeks ago where Rowling apologized for killed Fred Weasley. That stuck in my mind because now it means something to me. I wish I hadn't seen it.
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2012
- Messages
- 6,269
rome8180 said:
I'm curious to what these are. I had a few on my first read and I wonder how similar they are.
I like seeing you come to the understanding of the greatness of this series. It was easy to write them off as nothing more than children's books but they truly were cathartic. The fictional dream is a fascinating concept to me as it echoes a lot of what I felt as the books were coming out.
rome8180
Legend
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 52,315
Finished The Deathly Hallows last night. Very strong conclusion, though the highlight of the series was still Book 6 for me.
I guess my theories about Snape weren't so far out there. To be honest, though, the only part I got right was that Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him. I had no idea why he would do that, though.
Dobby's death hit me harder than Fred's, maybe because I didn't know it was coming. Dobby was my favorite character in the whole series.
I guess my theories about Snape weren't so far out there. To be honest, though, the only part I got right was that Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him. I had no idea why he would do that, though.
Dobby's death hit me harder than Fred's, maybe because I didn't know it was coming. Dobby was my favorite character in the whole series.
rome8180
Legend
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 52,315
Lupin and Tonks was also rough, if only because they'd recently gotten married and had a child.
There were a few people I wish the epilogue had covered. What happened to George after Fred died? That had to be devastating. Did he go on running the shop? Also, who does Lupin's and Tonks's kid live with? Harry made a joke about how he ought to live with them, since he was over at the house several times a week. But why wouldn't he live with them? His parents are dead, his grandfather is dead. Who is left?
There were a few people I wish the epilogue had covered. What happened to George after Fred died? That had to be devastating. Did he go on running the shop? Also, who does Lupin's and Tonks's kid live with? Harry made a joke about how he ought to live with them, since he was over at the house several times a week. But why wouldn't he live with them? His parents are dead, his grandfather is dead. Who is left?
rome8180
Legend
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 52,315
I actually should have read the books a little slower. Now on a flight and it would be nice if I had compelling book to read. I have The Windup Girl, which is a sci-fi novel that seems promising (won the Hugo and the Nebula). But I just started and it's got tons of technobabble to master before I can really get into the story.