am I the only one who doesn't get Harry Potter?

[Anonymous]

I read the first book to DS1 when he was about 6. I thought it was just okay. DS1 liked it but didn't clamor for more, so we moved on to other things.

A couple years later, we picked it up again. I read the first book to him again and then we went through the whole series. I think the books get progressively better, and the last one is actually terrific. When I started reading it to DS1, I ended up staying up all night reading it myself, lol.

I almost think you can't fully appreciate the first book until you've read the last one. Rowling had pretty much the entire story mapped out before she sat down and wrote 7 books. The entire thing. It's really quite a feat.

I don't thnk Rowling is a great writer, but I do think she's got a great ear for dialogue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really liked it (still do), and I read the books as an adult, but before I had kids. And I am a reader who doesn't mind heavy lifting, reads the classics regularly, and reads in multiple languages. I didn't have issues with the writing, and the imaginative world captured me completely.

Ditto. They came out when I was in my mid-twenties - LOVED them. The first one is written much more simplistically. But, don't we all want to be the picked on kid who gets to go live in a castle and learn magic?

+1

I read Sorcerer's Stone when it first came out -- I was in my mid-30s and did not have kids yet. A group of colleagues at work were big into the series as well, to the point we would take turns to stand in line to get additional copies of the latest new release in the middle of the night. Great fun!

[Anonymous]

IMO, the books get worse as the series progresses; probably b/c either she didn’t care as much b/c she’d already made her money or too much pressure from the success.

Fortunately, they chose an appealing, solid actor who is not a train wreck child actor to adult story to portray Harry. And Jim Dale is the most talented voice actor/narrator in the world. He could read my post and turn it to gold instantly.

She’s not the greatest writer but had a good imagination for plot at least for the first few books. (Her prose is better than C.S. Lewis who also had a great imagination, but was a stilted writer. You can tell when you read either author out loud.) But if you don't enjoy the genre, or prefer other authors, that's okay too. (I don't understand more than half of the subject posts on the DCUM Entertainment forum b/c I don't watch "reality" shows.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I never could read it either. I took my kid sister to see the movies, some of which were okay and others less so.

I was a literature major with a PhD so I am wondering if that may have something to do with it.

You are correct, the books are not particularly well written. But there is clearly something gripping enough to capture the hearts, minds and wallets of millions.

What book do you find particularly well written? Great Expectations? Huck Finn? Grapes of Wrath?

God no. I had to read those in 7th grade!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO, the books get worse as the series progresses; probably b/c either she didn’t care as much b/c she’d already made her money or too much pressure from the success.

OMG Yes! The books exploded in size and branched off in half a dozen directions. They were making so much money no one dared take a much needed red pen to them. IMO the characters, including Harry, were far less appealing in the books. The series I could not get past the first few pages was Twilight. The success of the books and movies was

[Anonymous]

The first and second books are basically the same story, aimed squarely at kids. I had to power thru those. But the books do get progressively better, and the tying together of the threads at end works well. I confess I got a little confused by the horcruxes vs the hallows, and in the final book, the middle section really drags. In part one of the final book's movie, they invented that scene of harry and hermione dancing because there was no other action for pages and pages.

[Anonymous]

No. It's just not my genre.

[Anonymous]

Diana Wynne Jones is far, far better.

[Anonymous]

I hated them and my kids did too. They thought they were stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really liked it (still do), and I read the books as an adult, but before I had kids. And I am a reader who doesn't mind heavy lifting, reads the classics regularly, and reads in multiple languages. I didn't have issues with the writing, and the imaginative world captured me completely.

Ditto. They came out when I was in my mid-twenties - LOVED them. The first one is written much more simplistically. But, don't we all want to be the picked on kid who gets to go live in a castle and learn magic?

Came out in my 30's and I was already married and was a mom. I read the first book after several books were already out. I wanted to see what JKR had written, so that I could pen something similar and resign from my soul sucking job! LOL. I mean how difficult could it be to write a children's book? I finished the first one and it was pretty nice. I immediately went and bought the next one and then the next. I told my office that I had the flu and took leave to veg at home and binge read the first five. Before I knew it I was a potter fan. Everytime a book got released, DH stood in the line at midnight and presented me with the book in the morning. He also got me favorite takeout and took care of the kids for the next 2-3 days so that I could read it non-stop. I also continued to take sick leave to finish the books and escape from the worst boss of my entire career. LOL. Later we could preorder from Amazon. I loved it and my kids loved it but they did not turn into a potter fan like I did. For me this was the most magical book ever written. Interestingly, in my hell-hole of an office with a psychotic bitch of a boss (who was very short in stature), there were many people who were also demoralized and they also became die-hard Potter fans.

[Anonymous]

I tried reading the first book many years ago and made it 1/4 of the way through before putting it down. I can enjoy well written children's/YA books, but it just didn't hold my interest. I will try again in a year or so when my oldest is ready to read them.

[Anonymous]

I prefer the movies to the books. The books were too long.

[Anonymous]

So unappealing to me as well - not my genre and didn't enjoy the writing style of the first book. Have not seen any of the movies either. One kid enjoyed and read all of the series. The other is like me and just not into fantasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really liked it (still do), and I read the books as an adult, but before I had kids. And I am a reader who doesn't mind heavy lifting, reads the classics regularly, and reads in multiple languages. I didn't have issues with the writing, and the imaginative world captured me completely.

Ditto. They came out when I was in my mid-twenties - LOVED them. The first one is written much more simplistically. But, don't we all want to be the picked on kid who gets to go live in a castle and learn magic?

Came out in my 30's and I was already married and was a mom. I read the first book after several books were already out. I wanted to see what JKR had written, so that I could pen something similar and resign from my soul sucking job! LOL. I mean how difficult could it be to write a children's book? I finished the first one and it was pretty nice. I immediately went and bought the next one and then the next. I told my office that I had the flu and took leave to veg at home and binge read the first five. Before I knew it I was a potter fan. Everytime a book got released, DH stood in the line at midnight and presented me with the book in the morning. He also got me favorite takeout and took care of the kids for the next 2-3 days so that I could read it non-stop. I also continued to take sick leave to finish the books and escape from the worst boss of my entire career. LOL. Later we could preorder from Amazon. I loved it and my kids loved it but they did not turn into a potter fan like I did. For me this was the most magical book ever written. Interestingly, in my hell-hole of an office with a psychotic bitch of a boss (who was very short in stature), there were many people who were also demoralized and they also became die-hard Potter fans.

Your DH is awesome!

[Anonymous]

I've read the entire series 4 times now, once on my own and three times out loud to my kids. It never gets old.

I actually think the writing is pretty decent and if anything, you have to be in awe of Rowling for creating a whole world. Her imagination is amazing. It's brilliance like that that I find so admirable. I think she deserves every penny she has earned.