Post by mummifiedstalin on Mar 21, 2011 22:37:46 GMT -5
File this one under my ongoing series: "Things I used to kinda look down until I actually read them; then, having invested time in them, I apparently find ways to justify my time by actually changing my opinion."
My son and I just finished HP #4, and, I admit it, I'm now a fan.
(And this is mainly for the books, not the movies. We've seen 1-4, and the visuals are great fun, and the acting is pretty good for the most part, but the way they've edited them leaves some great plot holes that makes a mess of the story if you can't fill in the details from the books.)
But I'm hooked. The writing is pitch-perfect for my son, and it's largely non-distracting for me (which is a *sincere* compliment, if you've read much "young adult" fiction). And my son has figured out how to start spotting her "clues" throughout, like repeated little character tics. (Moody's drinking from the flask as a give-away, for example...he guessed it was polyjuice potion as soon as Snape mentioned missing ingredients.)
She's also very economical. Every detail comes back around, much like a good mystery novel, which is largely how 1-4 seem to be set up. I have a feeling that 5-7 are going to go in a different direction once we get more into the actual "wizarding war."
But I have to say, I'm impressed. I see what a bunch of writers have complained about, saying that her story-telling modes are transparent (clues are flagged as clues, sometimes that economy becomes an overemphasis on tidiness), but when you read it with a kid, it gives you an excuse to just luxuriate in the kind of story-telling that is story-for-the-fun-of-the-story.
Plus, I think she's done a good job of taking standard fantasy GOOD vs. EVIL and really making it grow more complex as the kids become more capable of understanding complexity. Harry is a damaged kid, who kinda has trouble with intimacy and trust and stays pretty reserved. Snape isn't evil, but he can still hate Harry for reasons that are at once adolescent and very adult. Dumbledore, even, once you know about his past, isn't just the pure "wise old man" wizard. I like that, apart maybe from Voldemort himself, all the "bad guys" have some actually pretty sophisticated reasons for being bad guys, from family problems to insecurity to simple fear and self-preservation.
It's also just fun watching her world "grow up." The first book was full of wonders. But as it grew, it was clear that she was trying to expand and fill out the world in ways that weren't just cool-for-kids. And, so far, she's made it reasonably convincing on her terms, which is what any good fantasy story should do.
So, yeah. There are things I could criticize, but, every time I do, I find myself already coming up with counter-arguments that make my criticisms seem to miss the point. That's a good sign.
My son and I just finished HP #4, and, I admit it, I'm now a fan.
(And this is mainly for the books, not the movies. We've seen 1-4, and the visuals are great fun, and the acting is pretty good for the most part, but the way they've edited them leaves some great plot holes that makes a mess of the story if you can't fill in the details from the books.)
But I'm hooked. The writing is pitch-perfect for my son, and it's largely non-distracting for me (which is a *sincere* compliment, if you've read much "young adult" fiction). And my son has figured out how to start spotting her "clues" throughout, like repeated little character tics. (Moody's drinking from the flask as a give-away, for example...he guessed it was polyjuice potion as soon as Snape mentioned missing ingredients.)
She's also very economical. Every detail comes back around, much like a good mystery novel, which is largely how 1-4 seem to be set up. I have a feeling that 5-7 are going to go in a different direction once we get more into the actual "wizarding war."
But I have to say, I'm impressed. I see what a bunch of writers have complained about, saying that her story-telling modes are transparent (clues are flagged as clues, sometimes that economy becomes an overemphasis on tidiness), but when you read it with a kid, it gives you an excuse to just luxuriate in the kind of story-telling that is story-for-the-fun-of-the-story.
Plus, I think she's done a good job of taking standard fantasy GOOD vs. EVIL and really making it grow more complex as the kids become more capable of understanding complexity. Harry is a damaged kid, who kinda has trouble with intimacy and trust and stays pretty reserved. Snape isn't evil, but he can still hate Harry for reasons that are at once adolescent and very adult. Dumbledore, even, once you know about his past, isn't just the pure "wise old man" wizard. I like that, apart maybe from Voldemort himself, all the "bad guys" have some actually pretty sophisticated reasons for being bad guys, from family problems to insecurity to simple fear and self-preservation.
It's also just fun watching her world "grow up." The first book was full of wonders. But as it grew, it was clear that she was trying to expand and fill out the world in ways that weren't just cool-for-kids. And, so far, she's made it reasonably convincing on her terms, which is what any good fantasy story should do.
So, yeah. There are things I could criticize, but, every time I do, I find myself already coming up with counter-arguments that make my criticisms seem to miss the point. That's a good sign.