Randomly Yours, Alex

Harry Potter: again, and lastly

10 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment

by Alex in Books Tags: books, fantasy, harry potter

You know, I had planned on doing a little summation after each book, but… I lost momentum. And I wanted to keep reading, so I did. So… I’m not going to bother with writing down all my thoughts, which would probably be frankly boring anyhow. So instead these are a few rambly musings.

I enjoyed them. I don’t think I have a favourite, although some of the twists and revelations in Half-Blood Prince were awesome. Order of the Phoenix was definitely too long (although, hooray for not being an editor, I don’t know what I’d cut. Definitely some of the Cho sap, though). I had not expected the end of Half-Blood Prince, and was a bit distraught by it! I had half-expected some of what happened to Harry in Deathly Hallows, but it was still well done.

Rowling’s style definitely improved over the series. And the intended audience changed immensely, too. This is partly to be expected, of course – hard to write a series that spans 11 year olds to 17 year olds without that happening. Still, I wonder how 11 year olds, who are introduced to the series now, will go with Deathly Hallows by their 12th birthday; that would be pretty harsh, I reckon. Also, I was impressed by how many threads she managed to pick up and bring to a conclusion in the last book; it takes a clear sense of direction from the start OR the ability to write like that’s what you meant all along, without having to invent anything too ridiculous, to manage it.

Rowling definitely knows teenagers. Yes, there are some exaggerations, and a few daft bits, but… gosh I think she has teenaged interactions, and relationships, well sorted. Probably not so evidently in the H/R/H triangle, but certainly with some of the others. The Ron/Lavender thing is hilarious, just by the way, and way too accurate.

Finally:
The Malfoys? a very cool ending to their particular thread.
Dumbledore? infinitely more complex than I had anticipated.
Harry? pretty much what I expected. Still a bit annoying.
Snape? most awesome and intriguing and interesting storyline overall.
Hermione? it PISSED ME OFF that she seemed to be the only one who shrieked, moaned, sobbed or in any other way demonstrated emotion through her voice. I think Ron scored the occasional groan, and maybe some of the others got to shout, but this rankled me a lot.

And very lastly? I cannot believe she did that to Lupin and Tonks! No fair!!

Prisoner of Azkaban

26 Feb 2009 Leave a Comment

by Alex in Books Tags: books, fantasy, harry potter

So I read this one on the weekend, too; I’ve just been lazy about commenting on it.

This one is different from the first two; in those, there was a definite end-point, if you like: getting to a destination or thing. Here, although there’s a destination in terms of finally meeting the eponymous Prisoner, it’s not entirely clear from the title what will happen when Harry finally does. Once again it was fascinating to read when already knowing what happens in the end – I think Rowling does quite well at not giving hints about Sirius’ innocence, but it’s not like it makes absolutely no sense. I had been a bit wary that her plot structures would leave something to be desired, but the revelations do make sense, which is a relief: it’s just a matter of looking at something from a different perspective, or with a tiny amount of additional information.

I really liked Lupin. I seem to remember hitting my head over not getting the connection with his name sooner, when watching the movie… and then, reading the book, I finally realised the connection between ‘Sirius’ and his turning into a dog. Sometimes her names are just a bit silly and obvious; sometimes, she is very clever (like finally understanding the Phoenix’s name; Fawkes! So clever!). Once again, the actor worked well enough for my imagination in this role. Perhaps surprisingly, Gary Oldman doesn’t stick in my mind as Sirius. However, maybe this is not as surprising as I think; Oldman is such an astonishing actor that half the time I don’t realise it’s him, because he changes so much between roles.

I thought the whole reveal about being godfather and Harry being so dead keen on that happened a bit fast. I did enjoy Sirius’ near-insanity, and his attitude towards Wormtail (heh, nearly typed Wormtongue there; two of a kind, those characters!) – worked neatly for both guilty-Sirius and innocent-Sirius.

Snape continues to be a fascinating character; there’s clearly something that going to happen with his character – there has to be!! – the whole saving Harry in the first book, issues with James Potter et al at school, blah de blah… his story arc is perhaps the one I am most interested in following, because I am struggling to imagine how it will turn out. (Even if I’m wrong, I can imagine various outcomes for HR&H).

And, again, there’s just a bit more here in the book than made it into the movie. I don’t remember the providence of the Marauder’s Map being explained in the movie – that’s cool; Percy, again; and Divination classes are hilarious (oooh there’s another actor who works – Emma Thompson makes me giggle every time I imagine her in those glasses).

Anyway. I’m writing this because I just finished Goblet of Fire and figured I should do this properly, and write about them in order. It might take me a day or two to get around to writing about it, though… there’s a bit to think about…

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

20 Feb 2009 Leave a Comment

by Alex in Books Tags: books, fantasy, harry potter

1. On the book vs the movie

So this one, again, felt a lot like the movie to me. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; in fact I’m impressed the movie managed to stay so faithful. Of course, this could be the fact that I saw the movie before reading the book talking…

Naturally, though, there were some differences, and I found those quite interesting. I’m quite sure Hermione’s parents are never seen in the movie – and the idea of them being shepherded by the Weasleys is quite a fascinating one, hinting as it does at a harmonious Muggle/wizard relationship. Given the threat to Muggles and Mudbloods throughout the book, this is an interesting little idea. I also would much have preferred to see the dueling scene as represented here, than as I remember it from the movie – surely I can’t have forgotten Hermione in a catfight?? And finally, I don’t recall Percy acting weird in the movie. I was really, really hoping for there to be more than “ooh, Percy’s got a girlfriend to his oddity – but alas, no. (Also, much more on Fred and George; I suspect they’re going to be favourite characters.)

As for actors and characters… well, Snape is Alan Rickman and that’s that, and it’s just fine. Also, I could never imagine Lockhart as anyone other than that gloriously inane version Branagh presented, and I have to say I thought it worked perfectly. They’re really the only two who have imprinted themselves on me strongly at this stage. I guess Ron and Hermione in a way, too, but at this stage they’re not exactly outstanding characters, so it doesn’t matter so much what they look like (to me).

2. The story itself, etc

It still reads very much as written for younger readers – and that’s just fine, too, because it was. There’s a bit of complexity (the reason why everyone gets Petrified rather than dying is quite sneaky, and I like it), and enough character development that they’re not quite 2D. (I do look forward to further character development as they get older.) I read it in a few hours, as my Dealer told me I would (and as I did the first); in some ways I was actually disappointed that there wasn’t more deviation from the movie, as there were no surprises.

I hate Dobby. That is, I hate the self-inflicted violence, as I did with the movie. I can’t quite believe it’s in there – it seems quite out of character; ironing your fingers?? Even the spiders aren’t as troubling as that image.

I’m really looking forward to the development of Lucius Malfoy’s character.

I have the third one sitting right here, waiting for me to finish the work I should be doing so I can legitimately skyve off…

It has begun

18 Dec 2008 Leave a Comment

by Alex in Books Tags: books, fantasy, harry potter

Yesterday was extremely productive. I had to do something that required my presence but no action – physical or mental – on my part. So I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Yes, the whole thing. In about three hours. Yes, for the first time. Also the first two chapters of Chamber of Secrets.

As predicted, I enjoyed it. I’ve been putting this off for a while – first off I refused to read it because it seemed like a tawdry rip-off of many of my favourites; then later because one of the things I hate most is waiting for the next book in the series (I’m looking at you, Garth Nix; get on with Lord Sunday already.) Also, when they first came out I was not in a YA frame of mind. And finally, I am a mule sometimes: so many people told me to read them that I got stubborn.

Aaaaaanyway… now I’m going to read them. Good thing I have plenty of friends who can hook me up with the set on demand.