OT: Ok, fess up folks. Who's a Potter hog?

[William]

Who,s reading the latest (and last?) Harry Potter book? Mrs William, William the Younger, and myself are reading it together.


William



Potter Hog?

That's what I call Mrs William and William The younger when they get ahead of me in the book. ;)

[Hardlyrob]

I confess - ordered it for the Mrs. in Feb., and she yelled at the mail man when he was late on Saturday.

I'm letting her read it first - I'm going back through Order of the Phoenix and Half Blood Prince to get back into the details.

[William]

I confess - ordered it for the Mrs. in Feb., and she yelled at the mail man when he was late on Saturday.

I'm letting her read it first - I'm going back through Order of the Phoenix and Half Blood Prince to get back into the details.


Good idea. I found my self having to discuss it with Mrs William to hammer out some details I had forgotten from the other books.



William

[justinf]

Yes, we fight over the book 3 ways.

[znfdl]

I got the book last Saturday, started to read the book at 6PM and finished at 2AM. Only hogged the book for 8 hours. :)

[pale scotsman]

Walmart at 7AM Saturday was I.
Finished Tuesday.
Kinda sad, knowing there's no more.

[Len J]

Walmart at 7AM Saturday was I.
Finished Tuesday.
Kinda sad, knowing there's no more.

re-read book 5 & 6 last week......went to Borders on Sat and purchased 7. Finished Monday.

Len

[Keith A]

There's three books in our house with four active readers and I can't ever get any reading time in :argue: I can't wait till someone finishes it so I can have a book all to myself :)

[barry1021]

no spoilers PLEEZE!!

b21

[MartyE]

wife and I both bought a copy so we wouldn't interfere with each other.
at one point is muttered "ah, now that makes sense" and almost got my head
handed to me for "spoiling" it. I never said what made sense.

marty

[myette10]

I'm not into it at all. I read the first book and thought "what was all the fuss about?" I survived the second book but couldn't finish the third due to boredom. Usually when someone tells me that there is a book, movie, music or restaurant that I have to try, I'm disappointed when I do. I probably set my expectations to high.

Notable exceptions in each category above: Into The Wild, The Matrix, Phish, & Mediterraneo's on Federal Hill. These all lived up to the hype.

[davids]

I've really liked the series, and appreciated it for Rowling's ability to create a charming (no pun intended), fleshed-out, alternative universe, and to tell a ripping story. I thought the time-shifting denoument of book 3 was particularly well crafted.

When things started getting truly dark (and the ante went way up) in book 4, my appreciation of Rowling's story got much deeper - She was clearly beginning to take the bigger story into a much darker, more sophisticated direction. Her ambition was pretty impressive.

The shift of tone in book 5, which is as much a political thriller as a fantasy tale, really changed the whole series for me, re-casting all sorts of little moments & characters from the earlier books in a very different light.

But I resisted the Pottermania until about three weeks ago. I decided to re-read book 5 before seeing the movie, and then figured I should re-read book 6, too, to refresh my memory about the plot details (the majority of book 6, in retrospect, seems like stage-setting for the battles and revelations of book 7. Except, you know, for that scene on the ramparts of Hogwarts...) And I only decided to rush out and read book 7 so that I wouldn't find out what happens before reading it myself.

So, I picked it up Monday afternoon. I started reading, and could not put the book down! Oh my God! That was one of the most gripping, compelling, and ultimately satisfying books I've ever read! I am so impressed.

I could (and someday will) quibble about some parts of it. But, wow, I'm glad I got to experience the deep pleasure of these books. Rowling's saga is one that we'll be enjoying for generations. It was special that we got to experience its unfolding.

[barry1021]

in 7. It seemed like a struggle to pull everything together with so many tedious explanations being passed about to make things fit. Felt like the whole thing sagged in the end under its own weight. JMO

B21

[William]

I finished it a few days ago and I'm still mulling it over. There seems to be at least one discrepancy I can see in the story line, but over all I liked it. I'll let you know in a day or two...



William

[stevep]

yeah, yeah, me too.
my kids are making me reread 4,5,6 before they will let me touch 7.

ungrateful scamps.

[davids]

yeah, yeah, me too.
my kids are making me reread 4,5,6 before they will let me touch 7.

ungrateful scamps.
You'll thank them later. They're smarter than you let on.

[39cross]

I've enjoyed the series immensely, and in fact re-read the series earlier this year in anticipation of the final book. One of the things I've enjoyed most about it has been the increasingly sophisticated development of plot line from book to book. Some of her writing has been to my taste as good as any ever. Rowling has dealt with great issues of loss and good and evil in compelling and inventive fashion, and has given the world a great gift.

But after saying all that...I am sorry to say that book 7 is a terrific disappointment to me. I know that is not something anyone would like to hear, and I regret saying it, but that's the way I see it. I won't get into details why for obvious reasons - no plot spoilers here. I hope everyone else feels differently about it!

[Dave B]

loved it, wife loved it, mom loved it..........BUT!!!!

As a teacher of 10-11 year olds, my love for what JK has done is to fascinate young people. I have never seen a book/series level the different cliques as these. I teach waaaaaay over-privliedged with a few migrant urban, and rural poverty sprinkled in my classes, and these kids all share these experiences and EVERY ONE of them has something to offer. I am amazed at how with so many stories for young people and even us pseudo adults, the Potter series incenses the passion and desire to read for so many people.

No it may not be for everyone, but I have witnessed children bragging about reading....not money, sports, or video games....other typical things.