I was supposed to run to Vanderbilt and back, but instead read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It was an easy read, and I enjoyed it. I was going to write a response blog, but my conversation over Facebook with Arreanna and Jessica is even better. One of my primary concerns was how we are to judge the quality of a book. I plan on continuing the series as time allows.
- Jessica Pollack oooomg i cant even tell you how happy this makes me!!!!!! i love converting people to hp! pleeeaaasse tell me you are continuing the series, it's so much better than i can tell you!21 hours ago ·
- Austin Stevens I'll at least read to Prisoner of Azkaban. If I'm not hooked by then, I would question what all the hype is about. I was expecting to learn more about the characters / find more character development. I think the movies have done a wonderful job bringing the world to life. And really, as old as I am now I have more trouble relating to 11 year olds than I would had I started when the books came out. I was probably reading the Chronicles of Narnia about that time. And Little House on the Prairie. Having seen the movies and experienced the world of HP secondhand, perhaps, I was eager to delve into the book. Yet if I had never heard of it before now I probably wouldn't keep reading, because in comparison to say, LOTR, the writing is not as mature. Of course, its audience is younger than Tolkien's. It's similar to Narnia in that regard. I assume as Harry grows up it'll become more realistic and characters will continue to be fleshed out, and Rowling is a talented storyteller. A friend of mine said she would have her kids read the series but would only give them one book a year to recreate the anticipation. haha. I've considered waiting a while before reading the others.20 hours ago ·
- Arreanna Rostosky I would say, stop comparing LOTR and HP. You just can't do that. Otherwise, you'll be setting yourself up for failure, esp. since you're already such a huge LOTR fan. LOTR and HP are not and will not ever be the same thing. And it's okay to not like the books. I like the LOTR movies but I couldn't get through the first book to save my skin. Sometimes you just have an aesthetic taste that can't be met by a popular novel/concept/world/etc. Take Twilight, for example. Can't touch that thing with a 10 mile pole without cringing. But tons of people love it. And you may only relate to HP once you have kids. People change continually, and so do our tastes.20 hours ago ·
- Arreanna Rostosky p.s. in my humble opinion, you should at least get through the series, even if it's painful. If you're really struggling, at least finish book 4. That's the first time anything seriously "grown up" happens w/ the death and all that. I never liked Book 3, but tons of others did. Book 4 (when it was released) was my favorite until book 5. And then each subsequent book became my favorite. If I had to pick, though, probably a tie between the last 4 books and book 1. They're all so great.20 hours ago ·
- Austin Stevens the only reason I give LOTR as an example is that, in addition to rereading it now, it is a completely different style of writing. And I think it goes beyond aesthetic taste. There are some books you don't read until you get older, you just wouldn't understand them. And the quality of a book could also be measured in how much you gain with each subsequent reading. Let's take two of my favorite books: Frankenstein and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Both are books you could read when you're a kid, but I doubt they would be enjoyable. If I were to reread either of them now I would see completely new facets of the story and appreciate each book even more, being a different, and hopefully wiser, person than when I read them last.
Personally, since you mention Twilight, I think that not only are there better books than others, but some people just have horrible taste in literature. I'm sure I would be sick before finishing the 2nd chapter of Twilight, and not only because I have different tastes, but I would be willing to bet a lot that it's poor writing.
But I do like Rowling's writing and I really like the story. Honestly I really want to learn more and 'get to know' characters like Luna and Ginny better. It's just very different from the classic literature I mainly read. That is the standard I have for books. I don't quite know how to put it. Maybe I think it's lacking in depth? Yet I'm hardly 1/7 the way through the whole tale. You might consider The Little Prince to be a children's story, and it's one that young kids would understand, yet I don't really consider it a children's story. It is so remarkably deep and poetic, I have read it many times with fresh eyes.
I don't know yet. I enjoyed the first book, but I withhold judgment until at least the third book. If I have time I hope to finish the series, not only at your request (and many friends') but because I think I do think it's worthwhile.20 hours ago · - Jessica Pollack this is actually a problem a lot of people have when starting the books at a later age. i mean, when you realize how mature and kind harry is for an 11 year old boy, he's pretty amazing already, but there is only so much an 11 year old boy can do to nt act like an 11 year old boy. just please trust in rowling and harry that everything gets way more intense (the characters, the plot, the situations, the philosophy, really everything). it starts out as a seemingly innocent kid's story, but it really is the epic saga people advertise--once you can see the whole thing. and while i think her writing is good, it's not like reading charles dickens. the poetry is in the story and the characters and the way the world works more than the actual words. i do want to say though, that the books change significantly between the third and fourth. the 4th is where it starts to really get a mature intense. but please keep us posted on your reading!!20 hours ago ·
- Austin Stevens ah, you've hit it square on the head. I have to remind myself that he's only 11. She writes like an 11 year old would understand and perceive the world. Yet it's not a coming of age tale that I'm used to. The protagonists of The Outsiders and The Catcher in the Rye are 14 and I guess in high school, I don't remember Holden's age. But the writing style itself is more mature. Catcher in the Rye was banned in many schools. I'm not saying one style is better or worse, I'm just noting the difference. An epic story I would highly recommend to anyone is the graphic novel Bone, by Jeff Smith. Not only is the artwork beautiful but the story is fantastic. It too begins in a cartoon style with jokes but becomes increasingly intense and philosophical. I just have to approach the HP series with that type of development in mind.19 hours ago ·
- Austin Stevens *that type of development meaning, gradual increase in maturity and intensity, rather than beginning with a high maturity level even though the characters have a lot of growing up to do throughout the story. And just to clarify, I say maturity level to mean the kind of themes used within the story and how they are dealt with. I assume that the writing style changes with the growing maturity of the intended audience, which is brilliant. I think a reader connects better with stories that are told with his or her own maturity level. As each person changes, their relationship with a book changes. I think that I wasn't mature enough to finish reading Les Miserables when I tried to, and perhaps that's why I couldn't get very far.19 hours ago ·
- Arreanna Rostosky I understand what you're saying and of course I've read better written books than HP, but in mentioning the Little Prince, I have to say that the poetics you pick up as an older person isn't necessarily what attracts a child to the book in the first place. Depending on their age, they might be attracted more to the story than the writing (which is quite lovely, I might add!). And I think the same thing is true with HP.
As a young kid, I wanted to go to that fantastical school and learn all of the great things that *weren't* math, history, and literature. I wanted to be sorted into a house, learn potions, broom flying, DaDA, etc. As I grew up with Harry and co., I was bonded to them in a way that someone reading it from an older age won't have. I was going through adolescence when *they* were. I was having boy problems like Hermione. I had someone to relate to. But that doesn't mean your relationship, starting at the ripe old age of 23 has to be any less special. As a young adult, I realized that, yes, the writing isn't always perfect, but you look beyond the writing to the story and the greater story it tells. Sure, it falls perfectly in line with a wizarding version of a mini-Holocaust with Voldemort as Hitler. But sometimes we have to be reminded of what terrible things people can do and that it is so often children fighting them. That way we can try to slow the cycle. Especially coming of age during 9/11, the fight with Voldemort became much more real for me b/c I was a young kid having to cope with suddenly realizing the world wasn't as safe as I was made to believe. It was terrifying but knowing that another kid, even a magical kid, could have agency made me feel a little safer.
While I'm talking too much about me, I wanted to say that that is my relationship. Yours will come from a more literature-critical point of view. And that's okay. But you will (hopefully) find your own way into the stories. And maybe share that with your nieces, nephews, children and grandchildren. (if not, they'll at least get LOTR! haha)
Also, I do have to disagree w/ you about aesthetic tastes. While it's true that aesthetic taste don't entirely dictate what one reads, eats, watches, listens to, etc., it might influence what one *thinks* of those things. I read Entertainment Weekly, Shakespeare, HP, and a whole heck of a lot more things in between. But each piece of writing fulfills different expectations and aesthetic desires. EW is just mindless reading w/ some amusing journalism. I expect nothing more or less. Shakespeare brings with it other baggage and expectations. So does HP.
And as far as multiple readings contributing to the value of the book, I don't think so. For some people, perhaps, but not all. I think for you, knowing you as a person, I would definitely say that is the case. But for me, not really. I can love a book on first read, think it's phenomenal and never have to pick it up again in order to satiated. Others I enjoy delving into again and again. It doesn't mean that one is better than the other. It could just be that I didn't think I got everything the first time around.
In a final plea to you, please, please, please read through book 4 and don't just stop at book 3. As others have said and I said above, there's a huge shift between book 3 and 4. If you aren't hooked by book 4, you can give up on it and I won't think less of you. Quit after book 3 and I might have to give you a stern talking to!!!! LOL (I kid. Kind of.) I'm super happy you're giving the books a shot...perhaps in solidarity I will do the same with LOTR at some point! :D18 hours ago · - Jessica Pollack i just want to say, i cant even tell you how happy i am that this converstaion took place. please read them so that we can skype discuss!18 hours ago ·
- Austin Stevens hahaha ok I'll read the next one asap. like before Borders closes. Then I have to wait for my friend to return from Africa to borrow his. Mom might kill me if I spend another 4 hours at Borders though; I do that a lot. I am organizing both my music library and our main library right now, and I never realized just how many books we have. I can't buy any more books or movies for a while, at least until I can find a place to put them. I was going to write a blog about reading HP but I think I'll just copy and paste this discussion, haha.18 hours ago ·
- Jessica Pollack also, as the person who wants to make their kids wait, were you talking about me? (or do i have a friend who also wants to do that?)17 hours ago ·
- Jessica Pollack i thought i hadnt told you that
arreanna, i think we should be friends :)17 hours ago · - Austin Stevens I was wondering when you'd find this and post, Emily! haha
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