tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8126182545118302303.post960261702917738803..comments2023-08-04T05:27:33.432-07:00Comments on Neverland Revisited: Series Review: Harry Potter and the Author Who Didn’t Know When to StopLauren Perez Hoogkamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04471823870060764567noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8126182545118302303.post-9719102773467984032009-09-03T22:31:15.615-07:002009-09-03T22:31:15.615-07:00She is good at world buildingShe is good at world buildingLauren Perez Hoogkamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04471823870060764567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8126182545118302303.post-24113673542327433552009-09-03T22:19:24.467-07:002009-09-03T22:19:24.467-07:00As an avid Potter reader, I have to step in. Yes,...As an avid Potter reader, I have to step in. Yes, she's a bit lengthy. Yes, I argree with your point that she may not have taken a solid stance for/against something like C.S. Lewis or Pullman. <br /><br />But as a fantasy nerd, I gotta tell you: it's all about the world-building. My favorite Potter book is Goblet of Fire, pedominatley because it is sooooo world-building heavy. Look at the Quidditch World Cup scenes. Was any of that neccessary? Not really. But to quote Liz Lemon, "I want to go there."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8126182545118302303.post-78328280872144073332009-08-12T21:04:53.476-07:002009-08-12T21:04:53.476-07:00haha, I encourage people to speak their opinions, ...haha, I encourage people to speak their opinions, even if they don't agree with mine. I value diversity http://laurenperez.blogspot.com/2009/08/you-me.html (and self promoting, as you can tell).<br /><br />I think you bring up some interesting points. I half agree with you. Yes, writers should know more about their characters than the reader, but I still think that anything important enough to ever make public should be in the story. Also, true the books do deal with many themes, however, I think even kids can tell that none of themes are dealt with subtly. Yes, it's written for kids, but I don't think they really make kids think and if they are challenging, then it kind of shows that kids can't handle the kind of material that used to be expected of them.Lauren Perez Hoogkamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04471823870060764567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8126182545118302303.post-23778191428210087392009-08-12T20:55:10.890-07:002009-08-12T20:55:10.890-07:00Hello! I enjoy reading your blog, but I can't ...Hello! I enjoy reading your blog, but I can't agree with this post.<br />The books do have complex elements, and Dumbledore could've easily been read as gay if you'd been reading in that mindset, which most readers weren't. His entire relationship (or infactuation) with Grindelwald is obviously fueled by this relavation that Albus was gay. She also subtely uses more stereotypical signs, like an affinity for knitting magazines, that would support her point. <br /> She didn't explicitly show that he was gay because it wasn't important to the plot. Authors, good ones, usually know more about their characters than what is vital to the immediate plot. Dumbledore being gay was just part of the picture of the character she had in her mind's eye when writing him. I think this is the sign of a good author. <br /> She only outed Dumbledore when a fan asked her if Dumbledore had ever been in love. She answered honestly.<br /> The books are very multi-facted. There are themes about death (and how to deal with it) and the afterlife (See: When Harry's struggling to find answers about Sirius, he asks several characters what their interpretation of the afterlife is). Themes about government (the whole Death Eaters hating Mudbloods set up mimics the Holocaust greatly and teaches about the dangers of intolerance and prejudice). Themes about the media and corruption (see Rita Skeeter, The Daily Prophet corruption). I could go on.<br /> Rowling has said many times she wrote the last chapter way before the rest of the series had been written. It requires every piece for the story to unfold correctly. All of the pages. Each book contributes to the outcome at the end of Deathly Hallows, and wouldn't be the same without it. Also, each book can stand alone with it's own strong storyline. I think this is also an example of good writing. There's contiunity in all seven of the books. If it'd lost a lot of that, then maybe it wouldn't been too much.<br /> Sorry about the length of this comment, but I just had to speak up on behalf of the legions of Harry Potter fans who I'm sure would agree with me. <br /> Thanks,<br /> SamanthaSamanthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10070712277717474580noreply@blogger.com