ArcticEmpress
04-20-2002, 03:50 PM
things i did not know about this book going in: JK Rowling is a woman. for some reason i always thought that it was a guy writing these books. Ms. Rowling is also a single mother living in Edinburgh who was struggling financially before this book got published. My esteem for this book about doubled upon reading this. so she's not the money mongering evil corporate man from london that i imagined.
The Harry Potter series (http://www.vstore.com/cgi-bin/pagegen/vstoremovies/filimhobbit/page.html?keywords=harry+potter&mode=search&file=/page/search/searchresultsv1.spl&catid=26307) is a set that's recommended to those who've read His Dark Materials, at least according to some big online bookstores. Having liked His Dark Materials i figured it was finally a good time to give Mr. Potter a go. First, let me say that these two series are nothing alike. Pullman's writing, dialog and characterization are far more sophisticated and far superior to Rowling's. Rowling's series is much more appropriate for a younger audience, say 7 to 12. Characters in the potter series are typecast and entirely fictional, for lack of a better word. Harry seems to be the only one close to being a real person with a real set of emotions. His adoptive muggle family are too mean to be taken seriously, his friends are primarily characterized by one single trait or another, and his professors are basicly all portrayed as harmless but well meaning nuisances. Everything seems one dimensional.
That aside, it has to be reiterated that this is a series for young kids who won't care if Ron has a dark evil side that is mostly covered up by his nice friendly side, and who are just learning that not everything is the way it seems. Harry Potter is a fun read. It has all the mischievious adventure and laughs you could ask for in children's fiction. And actually it reminded me a lot of my favorite series as a kid, The Song of the Lioness (http://www.vstore.com/cgi-bin/pagegen/vstoremovies/filimhobbit/page.html?keywords=song+of+the+lioness&mode=search&file=/page/search/searchresultsv1.spl&catid=26307). Both deal with a child going to school for newly discovered talents, and both follow the adventures that inevitably follow given that situation.
The suspense in Harry isn't terribly compelling, but the laughs are. These books are read to be enjoyed. As such, they're great books and perfect for reading to your kid before bed (or so i would imagine). There is one part in the book that might frighten kids (the forest scene), but other than that, the book is lighthearted and easy to follow.
Should this be a movie. if you're after money, sure. otherwise, why mess up a great thing like a book? one of the wonderful things about harry is that it will appeal to kids and get them to read again. I don't think taking a kid to the movie will make them go out and want to read the book. Maybe this is true with the younger kids (5-7) who like having stories reread to them over and over, but for the older kids (8-12) once is more than enough. That once should be in book form, not movie form, unless of course, they're aspiring filmmakers/critics.
The Harry Potter series (http://www.vstore.com/cgi-bin/pagegen/vstoremovies/filimhobbit/page.html?keywords=harry+potter&mode=search&file=/page/search/searchresultsv1.spl&catid=26307) is a set that's recommended to those who've read His Dark Materials, at least according to some big online bookstores. Having liked His Dark Materials i figured it was finally a good time to give Mr. Potter a go. First, let me say that these two series are nothing alike. Pullman's writing, dialog and characterization are far more sophisticated and far superior to Rowling's. Rowling's series is much more appropriate for a younger audience, say 7 to 12. Characters in the potter series are typecast and entirely fictional, for lack of a better word. Harry seems to be the only one close to being a real person with a real set of emotions. His adoptive muggle family are too mean to be taken seriously, his friends are primarily characterized by one single trait or another, and his professors are basicly all portrayed as harmless but well meaning nuisances. Everything seems one dimensional.
That aside, it has to be reiterated that this is a series for young kids who won't care if Ron has a dark evil side that is mostly covered up by his nice friendly side, and who are just learning that not everything is the way it seems. Harry Potter is a fun read. It has all the mischievious adventure and laughs you could ask for in children's fiction. And actually it reminded me a lot of my favorite series as a kid, The Song of the Lioness (http://www.vstore.com/cgi-bin/pagegen/vstoremovies/filimhobbit/page.html?keywords=song+of+the+lioness&mode=search&file=/page/search/searchresultsv1.spl&catid=26307). Both deal with a child going to school for newly discovered talents, and both follow the adventures that inevitably follow given that situation.
The suspense in Harry isn't terribly compelling, but the laughs are. These books are read to be enjoyed. As such, they're great books and perfect for reading to your kid before bed (or so i would imagine). There is one part in the book that might frighten kids (the forest scene), but other than that, the book is lighthearted and easy to follow.
Should this be a movie. if you're after money, sure. otherwise, why mess up a great thing like a book? one of the wonderful things about harry is that it will appeal to kids and get them to read again. I don't think taking a kid to the movie will make them go out and want to read the book. Maybe this is true with the younger kids (5-7) who like having stories reread to them over and over, but for the older kids (8-12) once is more than enough. That once should be in book form, not movie form, unless of course, they're aspiring filmmakers/critics.