Give Me Book 6
Well, I finished the new Potter book (ya, it's been a real busy day at work), and I've gotta say it was a dang fine read.
I've gotta say, what they're teaching Potter about compassion is simply wonderful, in particular given all the kids who read these books who've "grown up" with Harry and need to learn similar lessons. I'm convinced some of the cruelest people in the world are 6th-10th graders. And Rowling is anything but heavy-handed about it, she just delicately works the theme of kindness and compassion in and out of the crazy events Harry n' crew get into.
Further, I'm all about the developing loyalty expressed between Harry and his schoolmates, and I'm really enjoying seeing it move beyond the nuclear group of Hermeione, Ron, and Harry to an extended group that comprises students from every house at Hogwarts.
I also like that there's an opposing "loyalty" group among Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and some other Slytherin folks, where it shows that loyalty in and of itself can be evil, and it needs to aformentioned virtues of kindness and compassion to be "good." And vice versa of course.
And finally, the fact that this "loyalty" is extending into a much broader community, comprising nearly the entire Weasley family, Neville, the goofy members of The Order of the Phoenix, Hagrid, McGonnogal, and of course Dumbledoore is I think even more wonderful, in that it's a picture of what a healthy community should look like, young and old, family and friends.
All that to say, I think Rowling is a fine thematician (is that a word?), and a quality storyteller. Send on book 6. The second war has begun, and I want more!
Josiah Q. Roe | By Josiah Roe | 02:03 PM
Comments
Geez, thanks for the spoilers. I haven't even read book 4 yet.
But book 3 rocked! Whoohoo!
Now I'm really excited about continuing the story. Don't you love how everything points to the church? A community of love, hierarchy, respect, and sacrifice. Sigh.
Anyway, I think I need to read these before the onset of School Part IV.
Posted by: nick at July 30, 2003 05:03 PM
Potter is still a dunderhead when it comes to treating others rightly. He mistrusts his friends, rebels against his superiors, and treats Cho like a moron. What I liked about all this, though, is that Rowling seems to be implicitly showing many of the consequences of that. By the end of the book, he seemed to be finally realizing he needs to grow up. Hopefully, he will in the next 2. My fear, however, is that I am naive and trying to simply baptize those few elements of pop culture that I enjoy.
Posted by: Maphet at July 30, 2003 05:14 PM
Yes, he's a dunderhead, or as I like to call him "15." this of course isn't an excuse, but I'm glad Rowlings taking the time to have him LEARN instead of just being a perfect kid. I'll be happy if he learns to "grow up" somewhere around 21-22, like the rest of us...wait...well, I'll just settle for him "growing up" one day in the far future...
Posted by: JosiahQ at July 30, 2003 06:14 PM
yeah, she wasn't setting out to write a primer on the golden rule; it's a story about kids getting into some pretty f-ed up situations while they're trying to sort out the way they think about things. I know I treated ANY girl like a moron when I was 15. Maybe it's just me, though...
Posted by: gosey at July 30, 2003 09:57 PM
I just want to know when he's going to figure out Snape can be trusted. And I liked that Snape got on Harry about that.
While the whining was a bit much, I felt for Harry. I'm sure I was very similar when I was that age. There were so many points where I just wanted to sit him down and explain it all. I'm old.
Posted by: kevin at July 31, 2003 12:53 AM
I loved book 5! I was so excited to read it. After all, I wrote my SIP about Harry (for non-Covenanteers, that's the Senior Integration Project), and I often called Harry my other boyfriend. Because I spent so much time with him, researching him, and so on.
I felt for Harry when Sirius died, and then when he found the 2-way mirror and he could have gotten feedback and advice from him without the danger of a Floo fire...sigh.
I knew there was something about Aunt Petunia. My theory had been that she and Lily Potter and Narcissa Malfoy were sisters (they all have flower names!) but that was not accurate after all.
I think that Ron and Hermione are going to get together. I do not think that Harry and Hermione are going to, because they are too alike in bad ways.
And I agree that Harry was and IDIOT with the way he treated Cho, but her motivations for being with him were not so great either. Harry was the rebound guy from her DEAD previous boyfriend. That is just bad news.
Still, it was great and it more than fulfilled my expectations. I think JK does a great job at being accurate with people and their idiosyncrasies, whether age-related or otherwise. I am just sad that there will only be 2 more.
Posted by: Super Krista at July 31, 2003 05:20 PM
Rebound guy for a dead ex. Reminds me of that fine Stephin Merrit lyric, "You're thinking on someone who's gone / You're dreaming of the corpse you really love." Of course, everything reminds me of a Stephin Merrit lyric..
Posted by: mesh at July 31, 2003 10:02 PM
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