My DS9 finished reading through the Harry Potter series several weeks back, and we have watched all the movies now EXCEPT the last movie. Tonight, we are having a “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:Part 2” movie night with the whole family, including my DS20 and his wife, and my DS19 and his girlfriend.
So, in celebration of the event, I spent a good portion of last night baking this. Not my best work by any long shot. It was a bit of a rush job. But here it is:
(For the record, I was annoyed by several story line changes in the Deathly Hallows movies. I understand expediency requirements in a 2-hour video format, but they changed things that had high importance to the entire story arc. I think Neville’s role was especially downplayed - he is the leader in the Battle of Hogwarts, he begins the series with the same difficulties as Wormtail but in opposition to that character he makes choices that make him the person that turns the tide in the end. In the movie it feels more like just another character running around. < /soapbox>)
It is the nature of turning books into movies, unfortunately. I do feel they did a decent job of cutting out the less important story lines, as much as I would have liked them to be in the movies. There are actually a few times when I think the decisions in the movies makes more sense. While I love Dobby in the books, sometimes his usefulness in the books comes across as a bit of a panacea. Need to know how to breathe underwater? Dobby to the rescue! Need a place to hose D.A. meetings? Dobby to the rescue! That kind of thing.
Still, Neville is definitely downplayed…although, in the end (in the movies), they do show him rise to the level of hero, still.
Truthfully, Deathly Hallows was my least favorite of all the books, though. I felt it could have been whittled down by about a 1/3 and be stronger for it.
Asked like that, you could say I liked them ALL less than Order of the Phoenix. That’s my favorite of all the books, followed closely by 4, then 3, then 6, then 1, 2, and finally 7.
I’m surprised you didn’t like it. We’ve discussed ordering of books amongst everyone we know who loves HP, and Book 5 ALWAYS ranks in the top 3…usually top 1 or 2. Never once heard anyone (until now) rank it lower!
ETA: Actually, up until very recently, I had ranked book 4 ahead of 5. But I’m currently re-reading the series, and almost done with book 5. I’ve changed my mind and now put book 5 ahead of book 4.
I don’t know anyone who would rank it in their top 3. It does have good parts. But I’m fine with never reading it again. Half Blood Prince is my favourite, DS14 prefers the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Yeah. I find a great many people put Azkaban as their top. And I do love it.
I think what I love most about 5, however, is that we finally see Harry coming into his hero-ness. Up to this point, his “success” against He Who Must Not Be Named has been due to luck. But in 5, he starts to see himself as powerful and influential. Leading Dumbledore’s Army, for example. Also, I have to say, Dolores Umbridge is probably my favorite “villain” in all of the books. Rowling makes us just LOVE to HATE her!
Gee people, my daughter and I finished the books about 2 years ago. Reading your discussion about favorites makes me want to go back and start over, and my To Read pile is already TOO TALL.
I loved the excitement my daughter and I shared reading them all together (and I got to use a lot of character voices reading out loud.) My son bailed out when we were in the 3rd book when I think it got a bit talky for him. I was very disappointed. Now I harass him with my Dobby voice.
Do it! I’ve read through all the books at least once, and listened to them on audio book at least once. Some of the early books I’ve actually gone through now 5 times.
I am actually listening to them on audio book again at the moment. Love Jim Dale as a narrator. Fills my commute time (30+ minutes, each way).
I’ve designated this the year of my reading classic books that made the PBS Great American Read list but I never got around to.
I just finished Dune. Definitely saw how much of it was an influence on Star Wars.
Enjoyed it when it kicked in, but had trouble with the rhythm and thought parts were a slog. (In hindsight I see why he lingered on those parts, though.) I read it on a Kindle, which I find makes me feel like I’m stuck in an indeterminate length story more than a physical book and my brain starts to tune out.
I’m only reading the larger books in paper from now on.
I’m reading a shorter “popcorn” book now to cleanse my brain pan, then back at it.
Think I may restart Harry Potter next year, I’m sure my daughter would be up to reading it again together, too. I think she listened to Azkaban and Phoenix eleventy-three times on audio book.
I found Dune interesting. Glad I read it. Would never read it again.
I have been reading more classic books in the past few years that I had always wished I had read, or felt I SHOULD have read, but never did. Some have been great, others not so much.
Several years ago, I finally decided to read, “Lord of the Flies,” which I recall my creative writing teacher in high school had always prodded us to read.
So, I checked it out from the library, and started listening. Right off the bat, I found myself annoyed with the premise…like, how a bunch of kids survived this plane crash, including some who later in the book aren’t able to swim. Anyhow, I got to 3/4 of the way through the book and found I just didn’t care about a single soul in the story. So, I returned it to the library unfinished!
But many others have been far more successful. In college, I took a Science Fiction literature class (the hardest class I took of all of my college classes!). We had to read a book a week, which I couldn’t keep up with. So, all told, I only finished 2 of the 13 books. So, last year I decided to go back and re-read the books (this time finishing them) by listening to them on audio book. I managed to get through most of them (a few I can’t find in audiobook format).
