Mad About Harry

I am emerging from my news exile after 48 hours of avoiding any possible exposure to Potter plot spoilers and can report back the following:

The two teenage daughters had about a dozen friends over for a midnight run to Barnes and Noble followed by a sleep- and read-over.   I read until about 2:30, then hit the hay; my wife promised me she was going to turn out the light soon, but since she was still reading when I re-awakened at 6:30, I put on some coffee and resumed the quest.  As an aside I am forming a theory that this is the only way to read these books - the fatigue and eye-strain induce a near-hallucinogenic state and a day later you wonder how much of what you think you read was actually a dream.  I will be re-reading the book shortly because I am still shocked that Voldemort was killed by Darth Vader - did anyone else see that coming?

But seriously - the earliest finisher was done by 8:30 Saturday, but she admitted (without shame!) that she skimmed a bit and zipped though the last hundred pages in about twenty minutes.

Another young lady known to be a quick reader was done by 10:30; my even more maniacal daughter was done around lunchtime, but she explained that she took pauses for sobs and reflection.  I should say that I was reading in a separate room but at various plot points would predict to myself that my daughter surely lost it right here.  OK, a careful observer would have wondered whether I was misting up a bit myself, but that was undoubtedly the eyestrain to which I referred earlier.

My wife and I both finished up around dinnertime, but since not everyone in the house has checked in, all discussions of the book are conducted in whispers, behind closed door.

In a word - loved it.  There were things I didn't like, but I was also vividly aware of the possibility of disaster (think "Pirates of the Caribbean III, or any of the last three Star Wars flicks, or the Matrix debacles).  But this was way better than non-disastrous!

MORE:  Bruce gives it a bravo and flags the spoilers.

And there may be spoilers in my own comment thread - I may even put some there myself.  Tread carefully.

Comments

[clarice]

I'd say the TM household must be a joy. (Of course we know H&R's is.) Savor every minute of it.

[Walter]

Best book (to date) in the series.

As far as the Harry Horcrux theory--Let's just say that I lacked intent to interfere with anyone's investigation into the issue and leave my memory failure lie.

Good call on the Lily theory, TM! I was surprised that Ms. Rowling devoted so much space to exploring in obsessive detail Snape's fumbling attempts to woo her. Did she feel the need to put the Snape good/evil/amoral controversy to rest without any possible misunderstandings?

At the risk of intriguing Andruil, I was struck by just how Christian this book was. I'd noticed that she explicitly avoided Christian imagery and organized religion. Even Christmas holidays were noted by presents and trees rather than church and carols.

Here, however, she makes a point of showing that avoiding church (interiors) on xmas eve can expose one to great danger. Not to mention the Aslan-like selfless sacrifice near the end.

And her devotion to two-parent families is at odds with her earlier expressed anger at Thatcher's advocacy of traditional family values.

We'll be starting the 6-year-old on the series next year, and I hope that he'll enjoy it as much as those who read it by installment.

[Jane]

This must mean no one else is watching the Brit. The last round is truly a great match.

[Poppy]

I wonder if they'll make a movie out of it.......

Have you gotten tickets yet for Universal Orlando. If you haven't heard, they are building a 20 Acre Harry Potter World complete with Hogwarts and all.

Should bring in a few pennies for the poor waife writer.

[SteveMG]

This is absolutely clear and irrefutable evidence that TM has his priorities in order.

And not on this (mostly) nonsense we spend our time on.

This post alone raises your IQ a good 75 points.

Congrats, TM.

SMG

[Poppy]

My wife also took the oldest crumb cruncher to B&N for the midnight party and managed to stay up reading until 4AM. She had the privilege of paying 22.00 dollars with her discount while Walmart had stacks of hundreds of books for 17 dollars.

[Ralph L]

No wonder they sell so many Potter books. Whole families get hooked and have to buy 10 copies. Have you tried reading aloud? Then you can all get hysterical together.

[Jane]

What I wonder is how many copies the TM household now has in their possession. DO they give a discount for buying in bulk?

[Sue]

I'm going to have to break down and read the Harry Potter series. I haven't even seen the movies. ::grin::

[hit and run]

SteveMG:
This is absolutely clear and irrefutable evidence that TM has his priorities in order.

And not on this (mostly) nonsense we spend our time on.

I won't argue with you.

Though like Sue I've not read any of the books and haven't seen any of the movies.

Yet, when I saw the post title, I thought Harry Reid had gotten TM's ire up.

Which is certainly nonsense in comparison.

[Bruce F. Webster]

Read it in one sitting on Saturday (after finishing the most critical chores for She Who Must Be Obeyed). Bottom line: Bravo! I've got a more extensive review (with non-spoiler and spoiler sections) at my blog (click on my name above).

I did like a word choice in one of the Amazon reviews: "abattoir". ..bruce..

[Bruce F. Webster]

Uh...on my name below. :-) ..bruce..

[TexasToast]

What didn't you like?

Luna is my favorite.

[maryerose]

Got the book at 1;00 pm on saturday at Target for $17.99 and finished it at 11:30 on Sunday with the similar feeling of TM that I had inhabited another universe for 24 hours. I fell asleep reading it at 1:30 am and resumed at 7:15am.
Was very happy with the book especially enjoying the Snape section and the resolution of the various plotlines. The imagery was excellent. I felt a part of the fight between good and evil. A smashing good book and a real "crack" as Brits and the Irish would say!
Sue and H&R:
You don't know what you are missing. Good luck in your future reading!

[maryerose]

TexasToast:
I also enjoy Luna-she is such a free spirit...

[mariposa]

No spoilers, please! Damn you, Tom Maguire, for letting the cat out of the bag about Darth Vader.

I'm reading very, verrr-r-r-ryvery slowly, turning each word over in my mind, and I don't understand why because I've never spent much time over Harry Potter books before. I think I'm taking my time with it because it's the last one... I'm going to miss Harry.

[brassband]

I can't claim to have read it myself . . . my teenage son revealed the ending to me.

Suffice it to say, J.K. Rowling is a marketing genius . .

[goddessoftheclassroom]

I loved it. I too think it's the best of the series. My theory about the mirrors was wrong, but the fragment did prove to be important!

Also, to the nest of my knowledge, this is the only book where "God" is actually mentioned. Whatever else anyone wants to argue, it's not anti-Christian.

I hope she writes some kind of follow-up about what happened to some of the characters.

What I also love is that it's clear that JK Rowlings own experienecs of a new and happy marriage and two more children colored her writing. I think there's a definite shift from the first book to this one.

[Answerer]

1: I was struck by how very Christian it was. Esp. the part where Harry told Voldy (Paraphrased): "Repent, it's not too late!"

I also liked that Nevile and Molly got to have such critical roles.

[hit and run]

OT (well, duh, it's me):

Clarice, I wanted to let you know that I made it through the entire day working on the kids play set without injury. I never did go out with the chainsaw because I had so much to do with the wood in the garage. But still, no injuries working out there. And the frame is well on its way...

Of course, once I came in and began fixing dinner, I sliced my left index finger on a can of cream of mushroom soup.

It's just a flesh wound, though.

Oh and talked to the most dearly missed mrs hit and run. She and her sister are currently enjoying themselves on Waikiki beach.

You can see them here on a live web cam. Well, you won't know which ones they are or when they will be on...but I will.

Oh and even if you don't care about seeing mrs hit and run, the scene there is beautiful and the music that accompanies the web cam is beach mellow. I love beach mellow. I'm listening to beach mellow right now and I am mellow.

And if you are reading this, wondering wtf someone's doing reciting their day without any mention of Harry Potter, mellow out dude.

Love and peace be yours beyond measure, without end, Amen.

[clarice]

HIT, I confess when I saw you'd posted, I was fearful of checking out the post. Whew!

[clarice]

I take it Mrs. H is the pretty gal wrapped in the banner which reads "Stay away from the damned chain saw"?

[hit and run]

You say pretty, I say hot.

Either one is accurate, I guess.

Tomato...tomahto...

[Sara]

I think I mentioned in another thread that my son took the visiting Grandson to B&N for the midnight party and Grandson won the look-alike contest.

[richard mcenroe]

I have to say, the crossover appearance by the vampire Lestat was a bit of a surprise. Isn't he kind of kinky for a kid's book?

[Sara]

This same Grandson also got to go to his first concert last night. Not sure Grandma approved, but then no one asked me. The concert was OzzFest, with Ozzie Osborn and 15 other bands. So from Potter to Oz in less than 24 hours.

[BumperStickerist]

Harry Potter II: This Time It's Personal

Ninjas threaten Harry Potter and his family in this tale of Eastern Mysticism, Martial Arts, and Majic.

----

[centralcal]

I have seen a couple of the earlier movies on T.V. with my granddaughters. Didn't read any of the book series.

But, because of Mr. Maguire, I am sure, I was buying supplies at Target on Saturday and picked up the final installment of Harry Potter as an afterthought. (There were tons of books there, by the way and cheaper than the bookstores). I have to say I found the book much better than I anticipated (on an adult level) and felt by the end that it was a strong "morality" play.

If kids have been reading this series for the past few years, and the hoopla would and Ms. Rowling's fortunes would demonstrate that they have been, then I think there is a generation coming up that will have their heads and hearts in all the right places.

Thank you Tom, for being the impetus to get me to read this book! Now, I suppose I will have to start at the beginning and read them all.

[Deagle]

Darn,

I just can't imagine why people would line up for movies or books or anything else for that matter. Am I just too old? Oh well, the world does seem to belong to the younger generation. Hope they read more practical books along the way...

[Jodi]

I didn't read the above responses so I wouldn't get a spoiler.

But I was a little surprised when I made a quick run to Walmart this evening and saw maybe 20 plus of the new books on a pallet right outside the book/magazine section.

[Sara]

The initial sales figures are announced. 8.3 million copies of the new Harry Potter book sold in the first 24 hours.

[PeterUK]

Why bother reading Harry Potter when you can watch H&R juggling with a chain saw after drinking eighteen beers? All he needs is a glamourous assistant,how about Silky?

[hit and run]

Never did get that chainsaw going yesterday.

Interesting read from David Frum reviewing Novak's Prince of Darkness.

Robert Novak wrote Prince of Darkness (according to his publicity materials) to vindicate himself and to settle scores. Among those scores are one with former diplomat Joe Wilson, and another with me.

Even from Novak’s own point of view, however, it would have been better if he had left those scores unsettled and this book unpublished. I am not sure I have ever read a memoir that so artlessly presents so damning a self-portrait. The title is unintentionally unironic: The man revealed in these pages is indeed a dark soul.

...etc...

[PeterUK]

the drumbeats for WINTER SOLDIER redux are beginning to sound. In line with Democrat/al Qaeda policies,the deminisation of the military is underway,by the time General Petraeus makes his report in September he will be discredited as a "baby killer".
Amazing the depths the "Loyal Opposition" will sink to to win.

[lurker]

I thoroughly enjoyed the recent HP book.

PUK, and in the meantime, today is the Impeachment Protest day with Cindy Sheehan all the way to Conyers' office. Looks like they're getting more serious about it.

This would lead to the least effective and efficient government ever.

Bring it on!

[Jane]

Sheesh it's awfully early PUk to get so bummed out.

[mariposa]

Robert Novack is He-Who-Shall-Not...er.. Voldemort?

Damn all these spoilers!

[Jane]

H&R -

I just checked, tonite is not the gay debate, supposedly most of the questions sent into YouTube are education questions.

The gay debate is August 9th. Mark your calendar.

[memomachine]

Hmmmmm.

I think JK Rowling will continue writing but in the future Harry and his family will become secondary characters rather than primary characters. Or at least until she's worn off Harry Potter fatigue.

On the other hand we know that there are at least two other schools other than Hogwarts though they follow the Euro-centric view and are located in Europe. What I'm curious about is how, or if, JK Rowling will deal with the HP universe with respect to the New World.

Are there wizarding schools in America?

[boris]

Salem?

[Tom Maguire]

I wonder if they'll make a movie out of it.......

I am prepared to make a prediction about that.

Luna is my favorite.

MINI-SPOILER:

It struck me with the force of the utterly obvious a day later - we don't get any clear resolution of Luna's situation because Luna is JK Rowling herself. After four books she finally gave up and put herself in the story as the dreamy, imaginative schoolgirl with a rich fantasy life but maybe not so many friends amongst mere mortals. Autobiographical?

But I don't think she wanted to guess how Luna's life turned out.

And the Luna character is a family fave here. When the fifth book came out we were at a family camp with another family and two of the girl's friends. As various readers progressed they would ask each other, have you met the Sally character yet? Because Sally (name changed), one of the girl's guests there, *was* Luna.

Inexplicably, she was overlooked when the movie was cast.

I have to say, the crossover appearance by the vampire Lestat was a bit of a surprise. Isn't he kind of kinky for a kid's book?

Yeah, but he and Captain Jack Sparrow paired off nicely.

[Paul Zrimsek]

Thought that came to me at the end of Chapter 18: Harry Potter is Andrew Sullivan. How else to explain his wild swing from hyperemotional attachment to Dumbledore to hyperemotional rejection of Dumbledore?

I'd explain about wizarding schools in America but I'm already late for Defense Against STDs, and I've still got 15" due tomorrow for History of Women and Minorities in Magic.

[hit and run]

Jane:
The gay debate is August 9th. Mark your calendar.

Ah, makes sense after Rich had noted that this one will be at the Citadel.

I'll look forward to your presence at and coverage of the Aug 9th debate.

[PeterUK]

Not forgetting the semiotic implications of the Wand in Magic - A Symbol of Patriarchal Hegemony.

[TexasToast]

PUK - Have you been reading Professor Althouse too much?

Actually, its rather interesting how un<>patriarchal Rowling's world is - Madam Bones, Neville's grandmother, Tonks, Ginny, Bellatrix, Luna, Mrs. Weasley, and, of course, Hermione - all strong female characters who are definitely female.

[TexasToast]

Woops

[PeterUK]

But Harry Potter is male.

[PeterUK]

But Harry Potter is male.

[PeterUK]

But Harry Potter is male.

[PeterUK]

But Harry Potter is male.