After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things – terrible, yes, but great…
Even though this series has already celebrated its 18th birthday, I am gonna talk to you about the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. The books tell a story of an underdog finding out that friends can get you as far as your will wants to get you.
Book Review: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Rating:
Title & Author: Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Release Date: June 30th 1997
Series: Harry Potter
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
I was nine when the first book came out, I loved reading and classmate made a book report on it. I went to the library to pick up a copy and since then I am hooked on these books. I don’t like all seven of them equally. I mostly prefer the first four, but usually finish the other 3 too – once I start – because I feel it is just stupid to quit a series half way through.
The first book lets the reader get to know the (main) characters, all of them have some kind of growth in the them. I like the way Rowling really makes clear which characters are on what side – Harry and gang, Dumbledore are good, Draco and gang, Sneep are bad – It is easy for kids to understand what is going on and what characters they have to look out for. But by the end of the book a lot of things are not what they seemed like and this pushes readers to want to read more. If has a nice finished story arc, but the reader knows there is a bigger one going on.
In the second book Ron’s sister joins Hogwarts, which gives nice awkward situations between Ron, Harry and Ginny. Some might already see things bloom there between them, but nothing monumental or shocking happens between the two/three of them. I like the way Ginny and Harry’s arc works and enjoy reading about the two.
In the third book the reader learns about two new big characters, the story arc is already getting darker than the other two books and everything seems to go wrong in the last part of the book.
By the time the fourth book came out, the books were famous enough for bookshops to start opening during the night of release, for early sales. In my home town it was big fuss and it was widely announced the store would be open from midnight till one, with lots of (free) witchy sweets and drinks. Basically, I finished the book twenty-four hours later. The story is scary and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It tries to pull the reader in to see the clues for the TriWizard Tournament and when the prediction from the last book would be finished.
Like it said before, after this book I am not that involved anymore with the series. I still liked the books, but I noticed it was leading up to that one big final at the end of book four and that the story told in one book was the least important thing in the book – which was the other way around in the earlier books –
In a way, book five still has a separate story – away from the main Voldemort arc – but that one so much in preparation of the later books, that I would not even let it count as one. I like it when book series have a bigger story arc then just that one in the one book, but I get frustrated when the main story is not finished by the end of a book – this series actually gave me multiple years of frustration because of that –
Because of my frustration I did not really want to start on book six and seven anymore. For book six my problem was that I knew it was not going to be finished until after the seventh book and book seven frustrated me for being so far delayed. Bloomsbury published the first six books over the course of eight years – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2005 respectively – and with the release of The Half-Blood Prince came the message that we only need to wait for another year – for an epic conclusion of this series – Which became two years and – in my eyes – a not so epic conclusion. It felt like seeing Gollem fall into Mount Doom again – my precioussss – A bit anti-climactic even. A bit like you have blown air into chewing gum for a very long time, only to find out it has a leak…
Overall
Overall the books are good, some might say childish. But I really like them.
I think it might have something to do with my age or something. I just notice a lot of people not liking the books even though they are less than five years younger than me. I grew up reading these books and watching the movies, almost any kid my age had. But of course there is going to come a time the children do not know the hype the books caused or that they were too young when the books came out and by the time they were did not want to jump on an already moving wagon. I know I am one of those people who don’t really want to start on a book series when the hype is already a few books further into the series.
The Movies
8 movies… My god. And I have seen every single one of them twice in the cinema and at least a few times at home on VHS or DVD – no I do NOT have a VHS player anymore –
I like them, they are a welcome change in my usual hectic live. Even though the first few are a bit childish, but I was too, back then… There are a bunch of differences between the different directors and the changing of the actor for Dumbledore was noticeable – though not avoidable – I liked the way the movies – like the books and its audience – really changed into these dark and adult movies.
Why they cut the seventh book into two parts to make films out off… I will never understand why, except for “money” – which makes me quite sad, knowing that the only thing the movie makes wanted from this franchise was money. But since then it seem to be the standard.
Let me know what you thought of this books and/or the movies!
If you have any requests for which book I should talk about next, please let me know in the comments down below.
For now, let books enrich your life!