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Harry Potter fans not-so-anonymous!! Join us here for our in depth discussions and re-read of the series!!

194 replies

LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 10:26

Welcome to the new thread ladies! I have put it in here as we have been dicussing the films and the books, so didn't think it fitted fully into the book/film section!

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weegiemum · 03/08/2009 17:25

OOOh this looks like a fabby excuse to start all over again!
Going to see the HBP film on Wed (children going to Grannie's for a few days) - but am really happy to start again at No1, though! Will obv depend on us finding our copy of GofF before I get that far!

janeite · 03/08/2009 17:27

It takes a stronger teenager than I was, or than most of the ones I've met, to stand up to their friends when they're doing something wrong. Neville does it and that is why he is the coolest.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 03/08/2009 17:42

teamcullen - you are right. I just looked on FAQs on the Bloomsbury site and that is the answer they give too. But seeing as that is the only mention of James being head boy in the whole series I am willing to bet she was covering up a slip up there.

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 18:06

ooo some more newbies, welcome

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Sunfleurs · 03/08/2009 18:22

Look, Shell Cottage! here

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 18:30

Oh wow, thanks for the link Sunfleurs Picture looks great. Wonder how long it took them to build?!

Goes to find more DH pictures

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Pacific · 03/08/2009 18:48

I am a huge HP fan and the books have gripped me like no other series. But I have read on here and in other threads that JKR is not regarded as a great writer. Genuine question....why is this? What denotes a great writer as opposed to a mediocre one? I know there are wordsmiths on MN. Can you explain to a scientist like me the difference?

janeite · 03/08/2009 19:11

Well - how long have you got? She is rather adolescent and clumping in style sometimes. Her descriptions of the weather are very repepetive and she could do with extending her range of adjectives. If you 'assess' a page of her writing, it comes out at Level 4 at best! Her books from 4 onwards were clearly not edited or had a very light editorial touch and they are the worse for this. She takes a very long time to say very little sometimes.

However, despite this, she has a real flair for naming her characters and for telling a gripping yarn.

GetOrfMoiLand · 03/08/2009 19:20

I think that Sirius is a tragic character - all those years in innocent despair in prison, worried for Harry, grieving for his best friend, betrayed by another.

Then his escape and valiant efforts to get to Harry.

And that wonderful scene in HP3 where Ron and Hermione say they would die for Harry.

Also, I do have a long-standing crush on Gary Oldman

Agree JKR's writing style is not the best - you read the books in a gallop to find out what happens, not read for the beauty of her prose, if you see what I mean. But, even though Iris Murdoch she aint, the books are still a terrific yarn and I love re-reading them.

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 19:24

I agree with your analogy of Sirius there. I do like him as a character and have felt very sorry for him at times. But not a huge fan, but do still like him!

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Pacific · 03/08/2009 19:33

Janeite, thank you but what do you mean by 'clumping'? And what do you mean by level 4? How would you analyse a page of writing? I have never done that and wouldn't know where to start. I am not very good at grammar as it was not regarded as important when I was at school but I would love to be a bit more critical in my reading.

Dumbledoresgirl · 03/08/2009 19:37

One of the things I like about JKR's writing is her dialogue. I was looking at book 2 today - the bit where Snape discovers Harry and Ron after they have arrived at Hogwarts in the car - and the dialogue between them and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore is just bang on.

Also, I was looking on Wiki and found some quotes from various characters throughout the 7 books and there are some hilarious one liners.

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 19:38

Is that the Harry Potter wiki that was mentioned earlier? I'll have to go and have a look at some point!

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Dumbledoresgirl · 03/08/2009 19:40

Yes LTR! But I could not find photos of the filming of book 7 except for the pic earlier linked to of Shell Cottage.

If you click around the many links on Wiki, you may stumble across the quotes I found, or I could try finding them for you now.... (no guarantee I will find them)

HumphreyCobbler · 03/08/2009 19:41

JKR worst fault imo is a tendency to make her characters change colour as a clue to extreme emotion! Ron goes green all the bloody time.

But she tells a great story, some very 'literary' writers would benefit from this ability.

Agree her naming is inspired. Have just found out (from reading a Margaret Drabble book) that Rosmerta is the celtic goddess of plenty.

Bumperslucious · 03/08/2009 19:46

Marking place on thread

Dumbledoresgirl · 03/08/2009 19:52

Wiki quotes - scroll down and click on whichever book/film takes your fancy

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 19:57

Thanks DG, will have a browse now

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janeite · 03/08/2009 20:00

Pacific - your grammar sounds fine to me! By L4 I just mean an English national curriculum level - it's not something you'd do as a normal reader but I'm an English teacher so being fussy! By 'clumping' I just mean a bit plodding and simplistic.

Agree that there are some great one-liners:
'Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?' is one of my favourites and also the one about Snape running from shampoo. Some lovely sad lines too - especially Colin C 'He was small in death' which gets me every time.

Pacific · 03/08/2009 20:10

ah, Janiete, I am in Scotland so didn't understand the English curriculum reference. Next time I read HP I must try to look a bit closer at the English usage.

The bits I like best are her insights. Two spring to mind. Voldemort says something like, there is no good or evil, only power and those too weak to seek it. The other one I like is when Harry is arguing with the sorting hat and dumbeldore explains that it is not our abilities that make us great but our choices. (or something like that).

LongtimeinBrussels · 03/08/2009 20:58

One of my favourite lines is when Mrs Weasley is gushing all over Ron for being chosen as prefect and says something like "That's all of the family now" to which either Fred or George retorts "so what are we then, the next door neighbours?". I love Fred and George in the books!

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 21:01

I love Fred and George too Brussels. It was so sad when Fred died, poor George living the rest of his life without his twin
< Sob> I get very emotional and have cried countless times while reading the books. DH is very unhelpful and says you do know it's pretend don't you?? He's VERY unhelpful and doesn't seen to 'get' the books!

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 21:02

Very unhelpful *When it comes to the world of HP

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weegiemum · 03/08/2009 21:03

I was friends with identical twins at school and one was killed in a car accident at the age of 21 - really made me cry when Fred died as it so reminded me of that - her sister was never the same and still isn't, at almost 40!

I cried most when Dobby died!

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LovingTheRain · 03/08/2009 21:06

Sorry about the loss of your friend weegie

Something that had me crying a lot ( which surprised me as I didn't think it would have done) was when Harry was with the Dursleys in DH and they were saying their goodbyes. Very emotional, not entirely sure why but the tears were flowing all the same

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