Harry Potter Discussion

[StarvingAutist]

I never really read the books; I basically went directly from Dav Pilkey to Salinger.

Still, I appreciate the fact that Rowling made reading cool again. (even if that means John Green is partially her fault)

And while English professors love to dismiss it (often for the pettiest of reasons--I remember hearing one respectable lit-crit say that the books were the worst ever because the first one had the phrase "stretched his legs" in it), you gotta admit: The fact that people are still talking about it and still absorbed by it after all these years means that J.K. Rowling is a good writer.

Period. Full stop. Mic drop.

 

[Kartoffel]

Reminds me of the days the bestseller lists were all clogged up with Harry Potter.
But the books where well written (even if I only read them in translation); I remember parts that were so freaking awesome that I had to lay down the book and walk around to calm down a bit.

 

[BurningPewter]

And while English professors love to dismiss it (often for the pettiest of reasons--I remember hearing one respectable lit-crit say that the books were the worst ever because the first one had the phrase "stretched his legs" in it), you gotta admit: The fact that people are still talking about it and still absorbed by it after all these years means that J.K. Rowling is a good writer.

Period. Full stop. Mic drop.

For what it's worth, I've read them all and consider myself a fan, I think the worst thing about the books is that her writing isn't really poetic enough to describe the invention of the world she's created. She has a very straitforward and simple style that doesn't really get across the atmosphere a fantasy school should have. I would have loved to see her ideas but with more descriptive writing..like Ursula LeGuin style say.

 

[DZ 305]

Still, I appreciate the fact that Rowling made reading cool again. (even if that means John Green is partially her fault)

Never read Green (he was after my youth) he's that dweeb who does those crash course videos and wrote that love story involving kids dying of cancer right? What's wrong wiyh him? Is he just a shit writer?

And while English professors love to dismiss it (often for the pettiest of reasons--I remember hearing one respectable lit-crit say that the books were the worst ever because the first one had the phrase "stretched his legs" in it)

I think my favorite response from Rowling was fucking with Stephen Fry. He wanted her to not use "pocketed" as a verb, its awkward for him to pronounce for the audiobooks in the UK. She made sure he had to say "Harry pocketed it" over like four books to fuck with him

 

[StarvingAutist]

Never read Green (he was after my youth) he's that dweeb who does those crash course videos and wrote that love story involving kids dying of cancer right? What's wrong wiyh him? Is he just a shit writer?

This is from his first book, Looking for Alaska

“I wanted so badly to lie down next to her on the couch, to wrap my arms around her and sleep. Not fuck, like in those movies. Not even have sex. Just sleep together in the most innocent sense of the phrase. But I lacked the courage and she had a boyfriend and I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was hurricane.”

He hasn't improved much since then.

 

[DZ 305]

This is from his first book, Looking for Alaska



He hasn't improved much since then.

Oh wow...that's some 13 year-old levels of deep writing

 

[UrbanDecayLover]

People are going to call me trash, but I dispise Harry Potter.
I don't why, I just do. I find Harry to be an idiot, Hermoine white trash, and the other red head one.
Its just not my thing.

 

[Cunty Boo Boo]

This is from his first book, Looking for Alaska



He hasn't improved much since then.

Also this quote is the mantra of neckbeardy Nice Guys. I know so many guys who have posted it think it's romantic. >.>

 

[StarvingAutist]

Also this quote is the mantra of neckbeardy Nice Guys. I know so many guys who have posted it think it's romantic. >.>

It's weird, because John Green is a naturally funny guy, but he writes the most overwrought, clichéd shit ever. Like, in Fault in our Stars the protagonists make out in the middle of the room were Anne Frank was captured, and then everyone shouts "the beautiful couple is beautiful!"

 

[Piga Dgrifm]

People are going to call me trash, but I dispise Harry Potter.
I don't why, I just do. I find Harry to be an idiot, Hermoine white trash, and the other red head one.
Its just not my thing.

I think that Harry himself is the main reason I never got very hooked on the series, he kind of annoyed me.

 

[Carlos Thin]

I enjoy the Harry Potter books, keyword being enjoy. They're not really books of a higher calling. Are they well written books which have interesting and likable characters with a well structured plot contained in an engaging universe? Yes. Are they books which pertain to and encompass the human condition? No.

 

[RV 229]

They're alright books. I think what irritates me the most about them are the (adult) fans that claim to be avid readers, and then never talk about any book besides Harry Potter. It's an okay fantasy series, but not the best. It's not even the best fantasy series about wizards names Harry.

 

[friedshrimp]

Spoiler: long fanfic thing

Ah yeah those "Imagine/What If AU" wall of texts fanfics are a plague on tumblr. I suppose they're in a way creative, and definetly less annoying than the "you're racist for existing" posts, but they're still cringey as fuck. Sometimes I think the tumblr kids try too hard to appear "smart".

Rezzing this thread because the Cursed Child has been released and........sweet salty christ its bad

I mean, it is literally like rowling got high on jenkem, stapled together every shitty fanfic cliche she could think of, and released it as a book

Spoiler: SPOILERS FOR BOOK

I mean....moronic time travel plots (in which albus and scorpius go back in time to save cedric and cedric alone for....no reason at all really), hilariously stupid alternate universes (one with christmas replaced by "voldemort day"), hair brained shipping (ron/parvati and their son PAJEEET), absolute character derailment of the highest degree (harry even in his middle ages fondles a security blankie and disowns his son for not liking it, as well as neville-killing death eater cedric), and of course the "sekrit relative of main characters who was mysteriously never mentioned in the books" (Delphi Voldemort and her EEEVIL phoenix tattoo, that is a tattoo of an evil phoenix, who wants to go back in time and teach her dad the meaning of love), hackneyed forbidden love melodrama (complete with harry bullying Mcgonnagl into stopping Albus meeting Scorpius with the marauders map), deus ex machina after deus ex machina (draco's secret time machine he just happened to have on him one day), and so....SO much more.

Long story short....this is a clusterfuck of the most hilarious degree. made even funnier by the fact critics are fawning over how brilliant it is.

But but Hermione is finally black! that means the book should not be criticized!

 

[AnOminous]

I think my favorite response from Rowling was fucking with Stephen Fry. He wanted her to not use "pocketed" as a verb, its awkward for him to pronounce for the audiobooks in the UK. She made sure he had to say "Harry pocketed it" over like four books to fuck with him

Fry had that coming and should have known better. There's absolutely nothing wrong with "pocket" as a verb.

 

[KingGeedorah]

They're alright books. I think what irritates me the most about them are the (adult) fans that claim to be avid readers, and then never talk about any book besides Harry Potter. It's an okay fantasy series, but not the best. It's not even the best fantasy series about wizards names Harry.

I work with a woman who is like this. She's mid 30's, married, and goes on and on about Young Adult novels like Divergence or The 5th Wave and shit like that. However if you bring up HP, she pretty much drops everything to tell you how sexy Harry Potter is. Like not Daniel Radcliffe, but the character of HP. Idk I just find that strange. Like you said there are plenty of fantasy books out there, but to be that enthralled by the adventures of a English boy? Meh.

 

[Southern Belle]

However if you bring up HP, she pretty much drops everything to tell you how sexy Harry Potter is. Like not Daniel Radcliffe, but the character of HP. Idk I just find that strange. Like you said there are plenty of fantasy books out there, but to be that enthralled by the adventures of a English boy?

So.... does she tell you at length how much she wants jump the bones of an 11 year old wizard, or does she hold off until he's 17?

 

[Piga Dgrifm]

Spoiler: sex on legs

 

[KingGeedorah]

So.... does she tell you at length how much she wants jump the bones of an 11 year old wizard, or does she hold off until he's 17?

Exactly man. She doesn't specify. It's weird.

 

[OtterParty]

Ah yeah those "Imagine/What If AU" wall of texts fanfics are a plague on tumblr. I suppose they're in a way creative, and definetly less annoying than the "you're racist for existing" posts, but they're still cringey as fuck. Sometimes I think the tumblr kids try too hard to appear "smart".

actually I posted that because i liked it

 

[The Lawgiver]

Wait so voldemort's relative's last name is voldemort? Voldemort's real name was Tom Riddle, shit was revealed in like the second book.