For the thrid time, still obsessed with Harry Potter

[PhoenixSongbird]

Hope you find this ladies!

Going back to the theory, I think what got me started was reading that JKR apparently speaks through Dumbledore and Hermione so clues might come from these two more than others.

Am I really cruel?? I just thought that it would be really funny if the whole Snape being an animagus thing turned out to be a red herring - simply because I think that essay was a bit too much IYKWIM. I bet JKR finds all the speculation amusing but also, she proabaly spends some time, at least, getting frustrated with people always second-guessing her.

I don't mean people who just chat about it randomly (like us ) I mean people who spend hours and hours and hours analysing each and every word. For me, that would take a lot of the enjoyment out of it. It's one thing to look for clues and re-read the books occasionally, it's a whole different matter if you start reading meaning into every single mention of something.

Or maybe I'm just being cruel ...

Not cruel Kneazle just correct.Analizing things too much does take all the enjoyment out of anything not just HP

Pheonix, how proud would you be if you were right??

It'd be great if one of us turned out to be right

I agree Kneazle, we just do healthy speculation but anything more than that is just weird

I agree over-analysing can spoil things - I did an Eng Lit degree and had to make a conscious decision years ago not to let that get into films I was watching as I found it really did stop me just enjoying the entertainment. With regards to the books I think JKR's plotting is phenomenal. As for the language, she paints the world she's describing very well and what critics need to remember is that the books are for children, which means they need to be accesible and reasonably simple in their tone. What I also find incredible in the writing is the way the language, humour, character of the books has grown up with Harry. It's incredibly difficult, as an adult, to accurately get into the mind of an 11 year old child, but then to be able to update that gradually year by year is amazing.

Oh good. Glad I'm not being evil. I just imagine some iffy looking middle-aged bloke sitting up til all hours going thru the books line by line and logging the details in a file. Quite creepy really!!

Having said that - I find the lexicon fascinating and I think I just described the guy who compiles it

They are extraordinarily well written.

Someone in a newspapers said her style had changed since the films and that she was writing for the film characters now. Ihea\rd tho that she planned all the books chapter by chapter before starting htem. Is that true, and I don't think her style has changed cos of the films.
I think she's amazing, not only the imagination and pure originality of them, but the intricate plot twists and surprises. It's wonderful.

wtacho ut - shel'l b ewatchign yuo.

Teh fshiy noe thta si

They definitely changed pre the films. If you read TPS the humour in particular is so young. DP didn't really enjoy it because of it but I made him persevere and he agreed that the tome had got older and he was able to enjoy the plot much more as a result. I don't think the first film came put until GOF was published did it?

Maybe Snape's animagus is a red herring rather than a spider

Personally, I don't think she's changed a thing since the films came out, and a good thing too.

It was around that time i think, the same piece also said that they are no longer funny but I put that down to the fact that they were at war with an evil wizard, not to her change in writing style

I think her style has changed because the idea of thwe books is that dc's grow up with them so her audience gets older with each book so her style has to change to keep them interested.

I do think there are still funny moments in them, such as Harry & Ron trying to work out girls and the twins!

I don't kno wif she plans them chapter by chapter but I remember her saying on the JR show that she when she started she always knew how it would end.

the not thwe sorry

Kno wif? Help, I'm turning fishy !

you too singingmum

Singingmum I like the name.
I agree they are still funny - the girls bit and the anything with the twins. A lot of the stuff with Lavendar and Ron in HBP is hilarious.
Has everyone read the New York Times review DD'sGirl posted? It's got me really excited.

Have lost the ability to type and spell today I think.Oh well at least my ds isn't trying to read HP stuff over my shoulder and laughing at my mistakes today

Oh, sorry, I meant she hasn't changed her style because of the films. I really love how the style has grown up with Harry, so clever. She really doesn't compromise I think. She's written the books as she's wanted to, ans so she should. I think the later books are much too old for 8/9 year olds (age group book 1 was intended for), and to see that 5/6 year olds are eagerly anticipating book 7 is a little worrying for me.

Thanks Albus wish I'd thought of it sooner though.Am so behind the times on MN

Mmnn, I read it - some really interesting things there. Supports my choice/decision theory a bit too.

I love HBP, it's my favourite since POA.

The bit where Hagrid and Slughorn sing the Ode to Odo is effing hilarious, in fact, I love the whole Felix Felicis (?) bit.

And Won-Won [snigger]

And the thought of Hermione being grappled by McClaggen(?)

Agree that later books are more for older dc's.Am about to start book1 with my dd as she is now 7 but she loves gore and is not bothered by anything except burnt hands as it turns out(she saw someone on a documentary with this and it upset her as hands are important she says).Will add that her dream is to hold a real human brain and she wishes to be either a brain surgeon or coroner(loves the idea of performing autopsies after seeing a drawing of one once)She is a little crazy and makes her 12 yr old brother squirm when she talks about her new models of heart,brain and torso with removable insides