Harry Potter: Why It's So Awesome

[Deleted]

This is inspired by a discussion elsewhere about why Harry Potter is so awesome on many fronts (which it is - I love the series). Consider this a thread intended for love vomit of our favorite boy wizard books.
Go!

(ETA: It's totally fine to love on the movies, but try to focus on the books themselves.)

[Deleted]

I really really love that the books get more difficult - reading level and content - as Harry gets older. It seems custom designed for children to ready when they're around or even younger than Harry's age of 11 when he first discovers his wizardry genetics, and then they can progress through the series from there.

[aurora]

I am amazed at how well Rowling planned ahead for some of the events. For example, that broken vanishing cabinet that plays such a pivotal role in book 6? It gets broken in one of the first few books (2, maybe?) in what seems like a throwaway scene with Peeves. Each time I re-read the series I find something else like that.

Plus I adore Hermione. I was a lot like her as a kid, except far less brave. But, I was such a nerd and so focused on doing what I was supposed to that I'm sure I annoyed my classmates like crazy. I love what a role model she is for young girls (and this is the one area I think Tolkien is really lacking in LOTR).

[Deleted]

One word: SNAPE.

[AllieHound]

I love how creepy book 4 is, with Crouch-as-Moody, and him demonstrating the Unforgiveables in front of Harry and Neville and knowing how much he was enjoying torturing them in front of a whole class is where the books turned more adult to me.

I love the backstory of Sirius, Remus, James and Peter. Knowing how close they must have been for 3 teenage boys not to only stick by their friend, but to find an extremely difficult and extremely illegal way for them to support him makes me really appreciate that Rowling didn't skimp on the backstory.

I freaking love McGonagall. LOVE. And to love on the movies, they perfectly cast her. Maggie Smith is exactly right as McGonagall.

My personal favorite is Ron. He's not perfect, he's not particularly smart or talented or handsome or whatever. He gets jealous and angry and screws up. But he always comes back, and he's always willing to stand up and do what needs to be done, and he's pretty freaking awesome.

I also love how hot MovieNeville got just in time for is scenes in 7/7.2

[blindyswife]

I love HP. If it had been opened when I got married, I would've begged my H to let us marry at Hogwarts Castle at universal studios.

I was a resistant reader. I thought they were silly kid books, and H convinced me to read the first book. He said if I read it and wasn't interested in the rest- fine. But read it and see. So I did, and was hooked.

I totally agree about how the books mature as the characters age. That's definitely one of my favorite things. Hermione is such an amazing heroine. And omg the details of how things all come together book after book. Rowling was amazing.

ETA: Basically the fact that, as a 30 yr old woman, I looked at H one day and said, genuinely, "I wish the wizarding world was real." 

[niemand88f]

I love everything about them - I was one who grew up with them, and I remember being so excited when a new one was released. My mom took me and my siblings to midnight releases at local bookstores where we each bought a copy. I would usually stay up all night reading it and finish that day.

There's so much to love about the books. Snape, Dobby, Hermione, all the little details that really make the magic seem real.

[aurora]

Nov 11, 2013 10:22:27 GMT -5 blindyswife said:

I love HP. If it had been opened when I got married, I would've begged my H to let us marry at Hogwarts Castle at universal studios.

I was a resistant reader. I thought they were silly kid books, and H convinced me to read the first book. He said if I read it and wasn't interested in the rest- fine. But read it and see. So I did, and was hooked.

I totally agree about how the books mature as the characters age. That's definitely one of my favorite things. Hermione is such an amazing heroine. And omg the details of how things all come together book after book. Rowling was amazing.

ETA: Basically the fact that, as a 30 yr old woman, I looked at H one day and said, genuinely, "I wish the wizarding world was real." 

You know, this is an interesting point about HP.  I was a resistant reader, too, and I think many adults were.  I didn't start until book 4 came out.  Then, I remember arranging to borrow a co-worker's book 5 after she had finished it.  Books 6-7 I ordered from Amazon to have delivered the day they came out.  Book 7 was the only full novel I sat down and read in a day.  By the last 3 I was of course doing series re-reads for each new book.

And my point to all of this is that if Rowling could capture and then absolutely captivate so many resistant adults, she is obviously very talented.

[Kattey]

I admit I've only read the first book, but I really enjoyed it. I have every intention of getting to the rest, it's just that my pile of books to read right now is already really high.

[Deleted]

Nov 11, 2013 11:42:39 GMT -5 @swog31 said:

I have read the first 3 HP books and am not hooked. They were okay, but I'm not invested in any of the characters. At this point I don't understand the overwhelming love. I was told that I have to read through book 4 before I quit. I have zero motivation to read book 4 right now. So tell me, is there some shift or change in book 4 that may change how I feel about these books? Were you hooked from the beginning, or after several books?

Book 4 is when the series becomes more adult in my mind. It becomes darker and this is amplified in the rest of the series. It goes from being entertaining and fun with a climax at the end to being.....not scary, but definitely more....I dunno, adult.

[aurora]

Nov 11, 2013 11:42:39 GMT -5 @swog31 said:

I have read the first 3 HP books and am not hooked. They were okay, but I'm not invested in any of the characters. At this point I don't understand the overwhelming love. I was told that I have to read through book 4 before I quit. I have zero motivation to read book 4 right now. So tell me, is there some shift or change in book 4 that may change how I feel about these books? Were you hooked from the beginning, or after several books?

Book 4 was the real turning point for me.  It was where I went from "OK, this is kinda cute" to thinking Rowling is a genius.  I gained a lot more appreciation for books 1-3 later when I did series re-reads.

[Deleted]

Nov 11, 2013 11:42:39 GMT -5 @swog31 said:

I have read the first 3 HP books and am not hooked. They were okay, but I'm not invested in any of the characters. At this point I don't understand the overwhelming love. I was told that I have to read through book 4 before I quit. I have zero motivation to read book 4 right now. So tell me, is there some shift or change in book 4 that may change how I feel about these books? Were you hooked from the beginning, or after several books?

Frankly, I didn't start reading HP at all until I happened to see the 4th movie (based on book 4). Then I decided to plunge in at book 1, and my roommate reminded me the writing would feel very young, but that it would evolve gradually. That was what kept me going.

[litebright]

I am in awe of her ability to plot. Seemingly throwaway details from book one (like the name of Harry's home village, Godric's Hollow; Hagrid borrowing the motorcycle from Sirius Black) end up feeding into larger plot points in later books, even the final book. That's pretty damn amazing.

I can only think of one real inconsistency in the entire series, and that was when Voldemort's wand spit out the ghosts in Priori Incantantem, the order of James & Lily's deaths were reversed. She should've come out first and then James, but I think JKR wanted to focus/heighten the suspense for Lily's appearance rather than James'.

[EloiseWeenie]

I had just graduated college, was broke and living alone for a month before my roommate moved in. My mom mailed me a boxed set of the first 4 books. I was too poor for cable, so I started reading the series when I got home from work. I was hooked. The 5th book came out that summer, just as I finished reading the first 4 books. I love the series so much. When my H and I got married, we reread books 1-6 out loud before book 7 came out. We were that couple on our honeymoon, reading to each other on the beach, lol.

The characters, and their relationships are amazing, and what makes the series. The kids are realistic, and any kid (or adult) reading the series can identify with a character. The friendships are sweet, and natural, and I love that they build their own little family. I love that they deal with jealousy, and lows, like kid relationships do, but they find what's worth fighting for.

[downtoearth]

The best part of these books (and the Percy Jackson Series, which I'm reading right now) is that kids can imagine being part of it b/c it bridges our "modern" world with this fantasy land that is hidden from normal people. I think I love that it allows kids to stay kids a little longer b/c they can (even, secretly) believe they are a wizard or chosen one that is just waiting it out in the real world until they can slay dragons and take on evil in another world.

[blindyswife]

Nov 11, 2013 12:08:24 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

I really liked that children were expected to think through their own actions, and to take action themselves on their own behalf and on behalf of injustice they saw around them. I liked that they were taken seriously, and the fact that they were young was no basis for inaction on their part.
I liked that everyone was flawed and kind of fucked up, and doing their best for the most part. I liked that people could differ and still care about each other.

I loved Snape.

I loved Dumbledore's remarks; Pity most those who live without love. Oh, I cried and cried.

Ditto! 
Happiness can be found in the darkest of times if one remembers to turn on the light. 

And my favorite- it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. 

[Deleted]

I loved how you get to see that people are complex, and that you get to know characters from an earlier point in their lives that plays such a role in who they become (part of the maturing aspect within the series). For example, Snape--he's not just the strict, dour teacher who is pro-Slytherin. He's the hurting teenage boy who fell in love, and carries that love through the end of the story. Harry's dad isn't just a golden boy with a genius for broom sports--he's actually a bit of a bully who had to mature. It makes me think about my own parents, how you see them as just mom and dad for so many years, and at some point you realize they were kids and teenagers and young adults with different dreams and goals and interests well before you even came along.

[Nonny]

Nov 11, 2013 11:59:00 GMT -5 litebright said:

I can only think of one real inconsistency in the entire series, and that was when Voldemort's wand spit out the ghosts in Priori Incantantem, the order of James & Lily's deaths were reversed. She should've come out first and then James, but I think JKR wanted to focus/heighten the suspense for Lily's appearance rather than James'.

It's my understanding this was actually an unintentional error that the editors missed, and that it's fixed in the re-prints.  So if you have a first edition of book 4, you have the reversed order, but if you have later editions on the ebooks it's the correct order.

I think my biggest thing with the books is how much I hated Harry in book 5, and his annoying teen angst, then later realizing that JKR was actually just doing something brilliant there with her writing and how we're supposed to be annoyed with him.  And Snape... oh poor Snape.  I always new, even after book 6, that Dumbledore trusted Snape for a reason and that when we found out why it would be worth it, I just didn't know how worth it the payoff would be.

[Deleted]

I knew about Snape from the moment he didn't fight back when he left Hogwarts. DH wouldn't believe me, but I knew.
I'm sure it's because of my special connection with Alan Rickman.

[hopecounts]

Agree with pretty much everything already mentioned.
I love how she drops pieces in earlier books that show up later in small or big ways.
I love how she handles Snape and that finding out his full story makes you feel so much.
I think its awesome that she has Mrs. Weasley have her moment of being totally kick ass which goes with the fact that none of her characters are simple or one dimensional, all of them (except maybe Voldermort) are pretty much shades of gray with good and bad, strengths and weaknesses all mixed together like most human beings.
I also agree that I love that it encourages kids to remain kids for just a little longer by giving them this fantasy world.

[Dumbledork]

I love Neville and Luna. They're these two characters that from the start are shown to basically be losers, outcasts and freaks. Neville can't do anything right and knows it, and Luna is, well, loony but damn proud of it. I like that she created two outcast characters and showed that even if they don't wind up being the Chosen One, they still have worth and can still do something important with their lives. I think it's an important message.

[lasagnasshole]

The writers of Lost could learn a thing or eighty about plotting a series from Ms. Rowling.

[hopecounts]

Oh and pretty much all of these.
www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/can-you-get-through-these-harry-potter-facts-without-tearing

[secretlyevil]

I love them. That is all. I now have to do a re-read because of today. Thanks @ladydisdain.

[gpw]

Nov 11, 2013 10:06:34 GMT -5 @ladydisdain said:

One word: SNAPE.

Agreed.  And although I know this isn't about the movies, Alan Rickman was perfectly cast as Severus Snape (and I *believe* I read somewhere that JKR met with him and let him know how his character developed in the book and it helped him perfectly play the character in the movie).

I absolutely love that JKR had back story on every.single.character.  Right down to the teacher that was killed by Voldemort/Nagini at the beginning of Book 7.  

Although I loved Hermione so very much, the female character I really loved was Ginny.  While it always seemed like Hermione felt like she had something to prove (even though she didn't), Ginny was more quietly confident.