Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Pottermania

After days of anxiety and eagerness, I finally read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on 21st July. Reading the final installment of Harry Potter, turned out to be one of the most pleasant experiences of my life. On other days, my mother keeps on calling me in the morning to wake me up, but my body simply doesn’t want to move (that too at 7 o’ clock in the morning). But, on 21st July, my mother had to call me just once (at 7.30) and I got up immediately. The bookstore (Star mark) had been decorated specially for the occasion with posters of Harry Potter and his friends. Black balloons were hanging all over the store and the people selling the book had dressed up as witches and wizards. Plus, the background music, which is played in all Harry Potter movies, was being played inside the store too.

We came back home almost at noon (coz the bookstore is quite far from our house) and I started reading immediately. Then, I read on and on and on. I didn’t even get up for eating. So, my mother fed me both my lunch and dinner. I became a witch too. I went with Harry, Ron and Hermione to wherever they went. I really liked the parts where the trio wandered from one place to the other, trying to find out about the next horcux. But, this was the first time that I was fed up with those long descriptions given by Rowling. Well, the descriptions were not exactly long. They were of the usual size. Their quality was excellent too. But, I was desperate to finish off the book in one day. So, there were times when those descriptions seemed really long. Yet, I enjoyed myself thoroughly and was successful in finishing it off in one day.

HP7 is really good. It’s better than the fifth and sixth installments, but not as good as the first four ones either. In fact, I still think that the third part is the best. I don’t know whether all of you have already read the book or not. So, I won’t spoil the fun for you by writing everything about the story. But, everybody knows that Harry is alive. And that is the best part of the book. At least, Harry killed Voldemort and destroyed all the horcuxes. At least, both Ron and Hermione are alive too. Some people are dead though. The saddest death is that of Fred Weasley, Ron’s elder brother. There was a small portion in the book when Harry was confused about whether Voldemort wanted horcuxes or hallows. Hermione kept on telling him that hallows did not exist and Ron was confused about whom to support. So, for days, they seemed to be getting nowhere in their journey of vanquishing Voldemort.

But, by talking about Harry’s children, Rowling has left a lot of scope to write more about Harry Potter in future. Maybe, someday, we will read another book based on magic, named “Albus Severus Potter and the Return of Dark Magic”. We may even get to read another seven-book series. All in all, HP7 is very good. This was the first time that I bought and read a Potter book on the day of its release. So, before its release, there was a lot of excitement. While I was reading it, my own hands and feet were becoming really cold. My heartbeat rate was increasing. For the first time, I felt that Harry Potter is not just a story for me. Harry Potter and his friends are my friends too. They have made my world more beautiful.

Exactly a week before reading the book, I watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”. The movie was very good too. I think that out of five movies, this is the third best movie, the first and second movies being better than this one. HP5, the book, was not as good as the other parts. But, the director, David Yates, has managed to pick out the good parts of the story from its numerous sub-plots. All the actors were very good too. Daniel Radcliffe is just getting better with every film. The only person whom I didn’t like is Michael Gambon, who plays Albus Dumbledore. He did not do well at all. Moreover, in the movie, spectacles for Dumbledore were not used. So, that aspect was a total letdown. How could they imagine Dumbledore without his spectacles?

This was my last post before my pre-selection exam, which starts on 6th August. It will end on 22nd August. So, I will see my blogger friends again on the 22nd. Till

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Finishing off nearly 800 pages in one day is an achievement by itself. Good girl. Keep up this speed and enthu.

You said in your post that you will not give away the details of the post. But tell me, what ARE the things you have left out? Right from Fred to Snape to Harry's children ... haven't you covered nearly everything?

I was the third person to purchase the book in the Walmart store that I went to at midnight with some equally passionate about Potter friends. Long live Rowling!

Kanika said...

I finished it in 7 hours flat......I can understand your enthusiasm for I felt it too. Fred...yes...I cried. Its a good book and a deserving end...

About the movie...LOVED IT!

Anyways...I have to constantly refrain myself from prodding too long in Potter world for I wish to retrieve there immediately and start over from Day 1 of Harry!!!

All the best kido...do well in your exams. And in case you did well...which I am positive you would...Proud of you girl. I can easily wish you all the success in life. For I can see it in Trelawny's eyes...Success is aching to come and say hi to you!

Subhadip said...

To be honest, I am not a big Potter fan. However, I have read two books and seen the first four movies and enjoyed them. Maybe, it's time for me to read the books in sequence.

Best of luck for your exams.

R said...

I am NOT reading your post. I am blindly leaving a comment because the moment I read you bought the book and stuff, I stopped reading. I am almost through with it but thanks to the fever that loves to get back at me when I want to jump, its taking time.
You should NEVER reveal anything, for you might be ruining someone else's... anyway, I don't really know if you have mentioned a lot, entirely because I haven't read your post. Bah. Will read once I am done with the book.

Banvri said...

I knew that u wud write a post about Potter :)


i don much about Harry n i m really ot fan of harry potter series :)

but i think there must be smthing ..in these books :P

enjoy

Titash said...

Both the book and movie was not upto the mark, good but not better as I expected and yeah though I read the book I feel you shouldn't have spilled the beans.. See you soon!

Shruti said...

wow!!Potter Mania is all around here..
I cant able to read the novel but yet but saw its 5th part..
All the best for your exams..
Take care

R said...

YOU WROTE EVERYTHING!!! Luckily I decided not to read your post earlier. Bah. NOT DONE.

Anyway, I really really really enjoyed the book and I am glad it's over well in time.

Jayant said...

As Rohit said, YOU WROTE EVERYTHING! :O
Thank God I didn't read this post earlier. I had been duly warned, though. :P
The book is simply captivating. It's better than the last two instalments but for me, personally, Prisoner of Azkaban and GoF take the top spot, not in any particular order.
The part in the end, where he's dreaming (or whatever it was) about Dumbledore was so reminiscent of when Morpheus first tells Neo about the Matrix. Dunno if anyone felt so or not. The ending was fab! Excellent.
All in all, although I thought Rowling went a bit overboard with her 'theories' in places, it was pretty nice. But all that ceases to matter once you get lost in her world.

That Girl said...

Joining in everyone's exclamations - you mentioned everything!!! Big gasp. Good I read this post so late.

I really liked the book, but I still think some of the previous ones (GoF for instance) were better. Still, it's Potter, so it's right there on top of the list for me!

And I especially love the way the entire Snape thing turns out. I've been in love with him ever since the first book (yeah, when he was all mean & horrible) and I kept hoping/expecting that Rowling would do something like what she's done in the book. I'm glad I can 'justifiably' be in love with him now!

I like what she's done with Dumby too. She really owed him an explanation after all the poisonous insinuations you keep reading earlier in the book, and I'm happy with the way she's dealt with it.

I did think the book was quite predictable overall, especially the Snape portion and oh yeah, the epilogue! But that's not to say I liked it any less - in fact, I LOVED the soppiness of the epilogue! I so did want everyone to end up the way they did :D

Yet to watch the movie. Dying to catch it asap.

Good luck for the exams!! Hope you do awesomely well, you'd have deserved that :-)

~ Deeps ~ said...

hmm good book....better than prev two as u said but still something was missing..........maybe cuz a lot things that were predicted and discussed over again and again (spl snape in luv with lily and harry being a horcrux) came true..........
movie is nice better than all prev ones.........POA and GOF are my favs too :)
good luck for exams :)

Reeta Skeeter said...

Hey! I visited ur blog and ran off to read the book. I got the first copy at Janpath, Delhi. It has been quite some time now since I finished reading my copy of the book....And I would like to say I love your URL :D ;)
Happy Blogging!

Aritro Dasgupta said...

HI! I second Didi...what wa sit that u left out!!!
Anyway great post....

Butterfly said...

@Woodsmoke
Thank You.:-)
Btw, I am reading the book again now and this time, I'm doing it a bit slowly.
I agree that I told everything abt the deaths, but I didn't give away anything from the real plot. I mean, the meaning of the Deathly Hallows and how the remaining horcuxes were destroyed.I thought that since the most important point(Harry's survival) had already been leaked, it wouldn't cause much problem to say certain things. Besides, I felt that the Hallows were more important in the story than Harry's children.
Congratulations on having been the third person to have purchased the book!:-)

@Kanu
7 hours! Great!:-D
Well, start again from Day 1 then. What's the problem? It's something which I will positively do after my Board exams.
Thanks a lot for those encouraging words.:-)

@Subhadip Da
Oh Yes, u shud start reading the books in sequence. I'm sure you'll love them.:-)
And, Thanks for the best wishes.:-)

@Rohit
I agree that I revealed a lot. I know I did. But, I just felt that if I didn't explain the meaning of the Deathly Hallows, I would leave out the real portion of the story. So, nothing would be revealed.
But, since u insist, I'll try to be more careful if I review a new book again.:-)
Anyways, I'm really glad that u enjoyed the book. I hadn't expected u to read it in the first place. It always makes me glad when someone liked Harry Potter.:-)

@Deepti Di
There is plain and simple magic in the Harry Potter books.:-D

@Titash
Not up to the mark? Hmmm...That's a different opinion.
As I've already told Rohit and Woodsmoke, I just thought that the meaning of the Hallows and the detailed process of destroying the horcuxes were more important. You must have noticed that I didn't give that away.:-)

@Shruti
Welcome to my blog.:-)
Thanks a lot for visiting.Also, Thanks for the best wishes.:-)
But,why won't you be able to go and buy the book?:-(
Please keep visiting.:-)

@Jayant
Yup, nothing matters once you get lost in Rowling's world. :-)
I too think that HP3(the book) is the best.
And, "captivating" is the perfect word to describe those parts in the book, I feel.:-)

@Amiya Didi
Snape....Yes, he's one of the most interesting and important characters of the book. But, then again, this is the first time that I've found someone whose favourite character is Snape. It's a good choice though.:-)
Have you watched the movie then? Coz it seems that you left this comment ages ago.:-)
Thanks for the best wishes.:-D

@Deeps
I think that the biggest thing which was missing from the last book was Hogwarts. Although the final battle is fought at Hogwarts, I misses Rowling's descriptions of its disappearing staircases,the portrait of the Fat Lady, the lake, Hagrid's hut,etc.,etc.
Thanks a lot for the best wishes.:-)

@reeta skeeter
Welcome to my blog.:-)
This is a nice name you've chosen for urself.:-)
Thanks for liking my URL. It was chosen by my cousin, Woodsmoke.
Thanks a lot for visiting my blog.Please keep visiting.:-)

@Riju Dada
How do you how much I have mentioned? Have you started reading Harry Potter then? (You didn't use to read them and you didn't fancy them as much as I and Tanni Didi did)If yes, do you like the books? And, which one's your favourite?
But, Thanks anyway for liking the post.:-)