Harry Potter?

[stacey79]

OK, for a long time I didn't read the Harry POtter books. I did see the movies, but I hesitated to read the books, even though I love to read. A month or so ago, I borrowed the first one from my brother-in-law. Oh my goodness! Now I see what all the fuss is about. I'm just about to finish the last one that's been written so far. My BIL has all of them, so I've been borrowing them. I hate getting them out of the children's section at the library! :)

ANyway, I was wondering if anyone else is into Harry POtter at all? I'm not obsessed, but they are really good books.

[patricia1]

Although I have a couple books here for the kids, I have not read them. That being said I love the movies and have seen them all.

[stacey79]

They are good reads. I was surprised that they were. They are written for children, but aren't like typical children's books, I guess. The last few are more mature even. I'm sort of embarrassed to like them. I'm 26-years-old with two degrees in journalism. You'd think I could be a little more of a literary snob! :)

[patricia1]

Dont be embarrassed about reading and like them. My kids are a 12, 11 & 10 and the only one who like to read is my 12 year old daughter and they are not her style. But like you sayed they are a bit mature for kids and I hear the last one was even darker than the others. But I like them, sad but I do. :)

[stacey79]

I think I sort of admit to liking Harry POtter books like I admit to liking "Desperate Housewives." Seems like guilty pleasure or something! The last book is quite a bit darker. I was just telling my husband the other day that I wondered if they would make it a movie. It certainly wouldn't be for a younger audience!

[patricia1]

I know I love Desperate Housewives also. My hubby does to, altough he would not admit it to anyone, and never to his friends....To me each book and movie gets a little darker, maybe having to do with the kids aging. I guess we are the only ones to admit liking it.

[Dixiefireball]

oh hon i love all the harry potter books i'm reading the last book now. However I'm disappointed in a few of the movies. Don't get me wrong the first two where great! they went right alone with the book but after second one it has been going down hill. the third movie doesn't follow alone with the book at all. Its missing out on so many of what I thought was the important parts. really is a disappoinment, but i keep buying the movies each time they come out anyways in hope they will get better.
I don't think they can cut out enough in the last two books when they make the movies to really hurt them. (i hope) I still haven't found out who the secert princes is yet in the last book but have a good idea. I want mess it up for you, by telling you who i think or anything like that, but I must admit this last book is the best so far.
Rhonda

[patricia1]

Rhonda I do have to agree that the last movie was not as good as the others. We just watched it last weekend and although I liked it I was a little disappointed. Maybe I should read the books.....For a moment I though we were the only ones here that like them.

[stacey79]

I think books are almost always better than their movie counterparts. It's true with this series as well. The last few books are very long, so I understand they can't fit it all in.

I just learned who the prince is. It wasn't what I expected! I have maybe 20 pages left to finish the last book, but I haven't picked it up for a couple of days. I'm sort of dreading having it be over. It is so hard to find books that are well written and completely draw you in. I LOVE books where you are so involved it takes you a minute to come back to reality when you stop reading. They can be hard to find. The Left Behind series was also that way for me as was Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood." Those are the ones that come to mind right now...

I'm glad I'm not alone in the Harry POtter craze! :)

[patricia1]

Okay I cant stand it, I am gonna get the books and read them. You both have me very, very intrested now....Maybe the kids will read them, all though they have not touch them yet. My youngest he is 9 he loves this sort of stuff. Can name every person and beast in the "Lord of the Rings" and hugh "Star Wars" fans. He does not like to read, but who knows maybe he will read them to when he is bigger.

[Dixiefireball]

My oldest son loves the Harry Potter books. Matter of fact he was the one who got me into reading them. I love to let lose in a book and let my mind wonder.

The reason I was so disappointed in this last movies is because it didn't start off at Harry's aunt and Uncles like it did in the book. Mrs. Weasle wasn't in the movie, but was in the story line. They just left to much information out. I know it hard to keep every detail in a movie but there was so much they could had added to help the story line match up a lot better.
Even in the last movie it left out the how Harry rain into serious in the alley the witch that was watching over him all this time etc.
I guess by reading the books I've messed up the movies, but yet I just can't help my self to run out and buy the movies just so i can see how much they did leave out.
Each movie a diff flim director had lead it. They need to bring back the onces who did the first two!
I also love to see how much Harry, Ron, Harimony sp? has grew. boy Harimony gets prettier every year she gets older. I was shocked that it looks like she is going to end up with Ron. I always thought she would end up with Harry, but yet I'm not done reading the books, and I'm sure more will be written so there is no telling what the out come will be.

My husband loves the Lord of the rings the books and the movies. He says there a lot like the harry potter books but I really don't see it.
Guess we all still have the child spirit in each of us. Nice to let it go and talk about it from time to time.
Rhonda

[patricia1]

I was wondering why the latest movie did not start out at the Uncle and Aunt's house. I kinda love those beginnings.

[stacey79]

I like that they start at the aunt and uncle's, too. It sort of adds to the plot and makes you feel for Harry in having to deal with them.

[LindaJoy]

I'm new here, but I just had to chime in as I am addicted--I admit it--to the Harry Potter books. I've read each of the six books three times so far. I only stopped because I've been in too much pain to really concentrate on reading lately. Anyway, I'm only a little ashamed to say I'm addicted to these kids books because Rowling is actually one of the best writers I've encountered, and I was a literature major in college! Her writing improves with each book, and it's saying something when a story can appeal to so many various age groups. I love the characters. Going to Hogwarts in each book is like going home again. They're wonderful treats.

I agree, though, that the movies are not as good as the books, but I don't think they usually are. You get more details in books, I think.

I'm not like most people, though, because I really like Book 6. I know it's very dark, but I liked learning about Voldemort as a boy. I guess it's that unlicenses psych. in me!

Can't wait for Book 7! And, I hope Rowling comes out with a new series when she's done with this one, about the kids as adult aurors!

LindaJoy

[traceann]

Stacey you stumbled into them a lot like I did!!!! My girlfriend lent the first one to me about 4 years ago (maybe 5). I had just kind of set it aside, thinking - that so does not interest me!! But one stormy night, to take my mind off the tornado watches that were popping up, I picked it up as I had nothing else to read. HOLY MOLY! I was hooked hooked hooked. It was kinda cool coming in to them late like that...1-3 (or 1-4, can't remember now...lol) were already out and available, no waiting...hee hee. I got to the point where I would allow myself one or two chapters a night, so I wouldn't just race through it, make it last that way ;) I have loved all of them, and so happy Ginny and Harry hooked up, lmao!! :kissing:

Her website (J.k.'s) is great, she answers fan questions about the series, but very carefully - she'll picks one every so many months to answer in relation to the stories, she's so darn creative!! I occasionally hop to a website (fan based) that she likes and has said is one of the best. There they have all kinds of essays, people putting together the clues, and trying to figure out what's going to happen etc. They are fascinating! She's made the comment one time that a few there were super close to having the whole thing figured out. The time they take to do this stuff is amazing. I started, rereading and keeping notes of repetitive things. She's "hidden" clues in her books, etc. Like a lot of times things Ron jokes about are clues to what's coming up, etc. That stuff alone amazes me at her cleverness and creativeness. That she writes the stories and weaves in tidbits...unbelievable!

I too agree, the movies are good, but lacking. Probably because I have read the books, lol, so I know what's been changed or missing, or why someone did what they did - that's not explained in the film. But, I suppose since most of the books are getting longer, they'd be 6 hour films, lmao!!!! My still very faves are the 1st one and the 2nd one. When I saw the first one in the theater, all I kept saying was "oh my gosh, it's just how I imagined it!!" :biglaugh: The director of the flicks also has a lot of influence, the 3rd one turned darker, and he made the film visually darker - I didn't care for that, and the fact that he rearranged Hogwart's grounds...even if you want to do that, people got used to it in the first 2 films one way. Oh and she's stated that it was hard to make movie 2 without giving too much away, but she'd hidden some clues in that one as well about upcoming things. (I think one is when Malfoy says to Harry in the bookstore "oh look you've got yourself a girlfriend!" referring to Ginny) Yes, I spend too much time....lmao!

Oh, gosh, I have rambled. As you can see it's a great hobby of mine, so much fun!!!

[stacey79]

Hey, Tracey. I'm impressed by your thorough research! Wow! I've noticed some foreshadowing a few times, but I'm sure I've missed it even more times. One of the things I like is that she is a good writer. She is good at painting pictures in your mind by showing you things instead of just telling them, which can be tricky. Because I am a writer and do a lot of writing and editing, sometimes it's hard for me to turn off that internal editor when I'm reading even for fun. I've read books that can drive me crazy, but she does so well that I have no complaints at all!

I still haven't finished the last book! I will do that this week, I guess. Mostly I don't like that now I'm caught up and will have to wait with everyone else for the next book to be released. I'm trying to decide if I should buy it myself or wait until my brother-in-law has finished reading his copy. I have a feeling I'll get my own copy!

[traceann]

LOL, yeah, all my fun came from having too much time on my hands at work, lol. I found that fantastic fan site and all their essays, it just amazed me. The insight these people get is amazing, I go back and read the particular things they were talking about and think "now why didn't I see that before?!" LMAO It really is a lot of fun and gets you thinking. I have come up with theories of my own, a friend's husband reads them avidly as well, so as soon as I finished book 6 he and I compared notes on what we thought, etc. It was a lot of fun!

Oh I agree, her writing is very engaging. I love how I can pretty much "see" it all in my mind. And that was before the movies came out, lol. I am totally addicted. Sounds like book 7 may be out next year, maybe. Barring any breaks she takes. In one way I can't wait, but in another I don't want the story to end. She has said in no uncertain terms there will be no more books after #7. Bummer.

Just the fact that she's embedded clues in the books amazes me...you have to have things well thought out and well in advance to do that sort of thing. Too me, that's very clever!!!! After I read my girlfriends, I went out and bought all my own, lol. I have read each one at least 3 times, lol. Book 3 being my fave so far, mostly cause Harry finds out he has "family" in his godfather.

Ah yes, see what having too much time on your hands gets you??? I miss having internet at work, as when I was bored I'd hop to the fan site and read all the essays, lol.