Why did Harry Potter become so popular?

[KindergartenKop]

I'm not a huge fan personally, but I think they're quite well written. I'm not sure they deserve all the hype though. So why did they become so popular?

@Pythonista

I'm sorry if not watching reality shit makes me a bad person...

I don’t watch reality TV either. Don’t watch much TV at all really. I like the Harry Potter books though!

are you always this negative, dismissive and supercilious about anything that is incredibly popular? Do you look down your nose at other populist music/books/films?

Actually no. I resisted watching GoT for years but got into it, read the books etc, and that was fairly popular.

I also read books that aren't necessarily 'literature'

I don't care what people read and listen to, honestly I don't, but the obsession with HP just makes me

@Pythonista

I'm sorry if not watching reality shit makes me a bad person...

It’s not specifically reality shit, it’s anything popular. It’s a way of looking down on people for what they enjoy - ‘Justin Beiber? Never heard of him’ ‘Squid Game? What’s a netlfick’? - because your tastes are just so much more refined.

Well that isn't me. I watch Netflix, I watch crap. We are taking about one specific franchise

I don't care what people read and listen to, honestly I don't, but the obsession with HP just makes me

And yet you’ve not read them.
And who is obsessed?!

I'm not a fan of reality TV either TBH. I hate seeing people being humiliated.

@ThePoisonousMushroom

I don't care what people read and listen to, honestly I don't, but the obsession with HP just makes me

And yet you’ve not read them.
And who is obsessed?!

Most of the people on here apparently

@Pythonista

Well that isn't me. I watch Netflix, I watch crap. We are taking about one specific franchise

Why did you resist watching GoT?

I hated GoT! Not my thing. I don’t think people are weird, or ‘obsessed’ for enjoying it though.

I enjoyed the books growing up but I was exactly the same age as Harry Potter when each book came out so I felt I kind of grew up with him. But I don't like the movies, haven't seen the last 2/3.
I would say though that although really liking them and being town at tesco at midnight to get the new book out, they weren't my favourite. I was obsessed with the Darren Shan books and much preferred them

But you're also telling the reader that Harry sleeps in a cupboard.

Because it meant buying the DVDs of the first five seasons which were expensive so didn't want to commit to buying them all.

Five minutes into the first one and I was hooked. But then, as an adult, it was written for my age group

@ThePoisonousMushroom

I hated GoT! Not my thing. I don’t think people are weird, or ‘obsessed’ for enjoying it though.

And that's fine. Unlike some of those on here, I don't really care if someone doesn't like something I'm into,

I don’t think anyone cares if you like Harry Potter or not. But you haven’t read them, so not even you know whether you like them or not

DD is a massive HP fan. She has read the books, watched the films loads of times, been to the HP studios twice, and loved visitng Universal and Islands of Adventure in Orlando. She is 21. The HP reconstructions in Orlando and the scenery and props at the studio are amazing. Even if you aren't a fan you have to admire the attention to detail.

And the fact that you’re judging people who do like the books you’ve never read as being ‘sad’.

@Pythonista

Because it meant buying the DVDs of the first five seasons which were expensive so didn't want to commit to buying them all.

Five minutes into the first one and I was hooked. But then, as an adult, it was written for my age group

Why wait until there was five seasons?

@KrispyKale I'll look out for this book. My love of children's books has never left me.

Because I only became properly aware of it fairly late in the day.

As for not knowing whether I like them, do you carry on reading things that are bollocks just because you might start to like them?

@KindergartenKop
I think they're so popular because they contain literally every element of literature that feels good, entertaining, comforting, inspiring to read:

a relatable protagonist, an alternate world that isn't totally different from our own (unlike LOTR or Narnia), suspense/mystery, mythology/folklore, boarding school drama, strong moral lessons (friendship, love, sacrifice) and spiritual overtones without direct preaching, dealing with grief/trauma/loss/death, loads of humour, an epic story with lots of clever plot-building and foreshadowing, twist endings in every book, and so much more! It's like going to a buffet that serves every variety of food that you love.

Having lost many loved ones during this terrible past year, re-reading the HP books has brought me comfort, solace and joy even as an adult. They never get old, no matter how many times I read them. The films are terrible in comparison, missing all the subtleties that make the books so great and instead focusing on crowd-pleasing action-movie type themes.

I usually give it a go beyond the first chapter.
The point is, I don’t care if you like HP or not, but you’re saying that people who do like it (even though you’ve only read what, half a chapter?) are sad, which I just think is really fucking weird.
But each to their own.

@Pythonista

Because I only became properly aware of it fairly late in the day.

As for not knowing whether I like them, do you carry on reading things that are bollocks just because you might start to like them?

You should engage more with popular culture, it’s bizarre you didn’t know about it until season five.

So I am weird for saying that some people are sad?

Okay then...

(Actually I did stick it out for the WHOLE of the first chapter )

Not just weird, really fucking weird

You should engage more with popular culture, it’s bizarre you didn’t know about it until season five

I didn't say that.

I was aware of it before that but by the time I decided to find out if I liked it, season 5 was out on DVD.

I then caught up with it by halfway through season 6.