j.k. rowling

[redcandlelight]

re-watching harry potter with dc.
oh.my.god.
she portrays institutional capture so very well.

I’m a bigger fan of the books to be honest.

I agree with that. but the films are quite good as well.

dolores umbridge is such a creepy clever character.

Books are awesome. There's a reason they turned a generation of kids onto reading.
Films have such good classic actors, shame about the kids. Movie 1 and 2 suffer most from it.
So annoyed Peeves Rik Natal was cut.

Full of poignant quotes like this:
“There will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right.” - J.K. Rowling

I've been reading the Ickabog with youngest dc, we're not quite halfway though now. Reading it in the context of the real-life moral and intellectual cowardice of many of our institutions have displayed in recent years means every other sentence has a deeper significance. I don't believe it's just another kids' book.

In the first book, Dumbledore says to (and of) the shy, bumbling Neville: "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends". When we first meet Neville he seems like a bit of a no-hoper, someone who has trouble making friends and is generally incompetent. He's not one of the cool kids, to put it mildly. But gradually his talents begin to quietly unfold. And in the final book, when it seems that all is lost and the Death Eaters are poised to take Hogwarts, it's Neville who goes out to meet Voldemort's forces and tells them that no matter what he'll never give up.

I have something of a soft spot for Neville! I think of him when it looks as though we can't possibly win the battle for women's rights.

I reread the books last year & saw a lot I hadn’t seen before. I strongly recommend her Strike series too.

I am in awe of JKR-I loved her writing and then, when she could have wandered off into the uplands of fame and fortune and shut the door behind her, she stuck by her beliefs and stood up for women and truth.

Does JKR retain the film rights? I'd love for them to be remade with a new young cast who can actually act

Dd is finally old enough for us to read the books together and I am really emotional about it. They are just so well written and still grip me now as an adult. Dd is absolutely loving them too. I have spoken to her about j k rowling's bravery in standing up for women and she asked if she is a suffragette. I said perhaps a modern day one and explained that she is standing up for women despite the backlash because it is the right thing to do. We spoke about how brave she has been and how she is right up there in my top 10 women I admire. I'm hoping that if we talk about things now, my dd will not be brainwashed into believing the woke bullshit when she reaches her teens.

Love the books, love the films. Very grateful to Jo Rowling. The Strike Novels and casual vacancy are top notch too. I introduced my kids to the Harry Potter books far too early. I got too excited about it all and couldn't help myself. They do get quite dark towards the end, didn't seem to do any lasting damage though. My otherwise cool son, now 13 has had the full audible set narrated by Stephen Fry since he was 9 or 10, and still re: listens to them regularly on rotation at bedtime (lulled to sleep by the sound of his childhood). I think he knows them by heart.

@EmpressWitchDoesntBurn

I reread the books last year & saw a lot I hadn’t seen before. I strongly recommend her Strike series too.

I love her Strike books. I like how she writes from the perspective of robin and all that she has been through.

Oh that’s brilliant, well spotted, RedCandlelight! I loved the Harry Potter books and films, but I never made that connection until you pointed it out.

The smiling, ruthless tyranny of a totally captured bureaucracy. Administered by bland jobsworths who never deviate from the script, and make damn sure no-one else does. Polite language backed by savage punishment.

Spooky that JKR invented the Ministry of Magic back in the 1990s.

She's a complete shero of mine. Always loved her books, now love her bravery and truth as well. Amazing woman.

Order of the phoenix anyone?

Shockingly prescient. (Even for a series of 7 books devoted to an unfolding prophecy!)

And I think of Dumbledores words to Neville quite often nowadays.

I think we know dammed well who is and isn’t on the right side of history. However long this takes, 20, 50, 100 years — once people do spot that the emperor is in in fact, naked, there’s going to be essays, dissertations and theses devoted to her courageous stance and the parallels in the world she created.

I luffs her. She’s amazing.

Oh goodness, jkr get stuffed

My favourite series of books ever. So many quotes which really speak to me, especially when I'm struggling with my MH. I have a framed print of "happiness can be found in the darkest of times..." etc.
It's very true that "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home"

Her book sales are as strong as ever; stronger even since recent events unfolded . Says everything. The saltiness from certain quarters is hilarious too. What a woman she is! Love you Jo!

I tried reading the Ickabog to my eldest but she's a teeny bit young and didn't quite understand it yet. Got about a third through and going to read it myself I'll go again with her in a year or two

And of course, Neville parallels Harry in many ways, and could have been the boy who lived.

I switched direct debits to Lumos her charity after all that happened with all the other woke charities (and after the Oxfam scandal which I see has been repeated) went all out with womxn and TWAW, as you know they know what a woman is.

I can't wait to introduce DC to Harry Potter properly but we found Ickabog a bit scary so need to wait a while.

My beautiful friend bought me a 'I solemnly swear that I will smash the patriarchy' tshirt this weekend, wearing it with pride.

My eldest was a little young to really get the Ickabog too, had to tone down some of the more distressing bits but carried on as I was totally hooked! Such a strong message about standing up for the truth and seeing through the agendas of others. Although it's not a new story, the parallels with JKR's treatment in real life are stark.

Another one in awe of her. What a woman.

What age would you recommend HP and the Ickabog for? It’s been a long time since I read HP.