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prunesquallormdWell, I had every intention of not rushing out and buying The Deathly Hallows on the day of publication. There's no way, thought I, that I'm going to disrupt my carefully planned out reading schedule for anyone. Which resolution held firm until I found myself in Waterstone's on said day. And my thinking went something like this: "Well, I'm going to get it sooner or later, and if I don't get it now I'll just have to spend the next however many weeks or months avoiding spoilers, until someone lets something slip, either through carelessness or malice, and it'll be Buffy Season 5 all over again". For I am a master of rationalisation. Especially when it comes to persuading myself to buy books.
All in all, I'd go with the general consensus (with the notable exception of the ever contrary![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thessalian :) ). It was an entertaining, although not stellar, end to the story, and I rather enjoyed.
I maintain that they must have just sacked the editor after the publication of Prisoner of Azkaban on the grounds that, hey these are just children's books, albeit the most phenomenally successful children's books of all time, and what children want is quantity, not quality, and quantity they shall have. I can't imagine any author likes having their work pruned and tidied (how does the Michael Douglas character in 'Wonder Boys' put? "I sweat blood for four years and he corrects my spelling"), but I think the point of a good editor is that you only see the point of them when they're not there. Of course, what I'm driving is that each of the last 4 books in the series could happily have lost a hundred pages.
In some ways, it seems rather churlish to pick over the flaws. Whatever I claim, I rushed out and bought it, with a couple of million other people, and read all 600 pages of it in a week, which is fast, very fast, for me . It's easy to pick holes in the pacing, the excessive verbiage, the overdependence on exposition (while I loved the fact that Snape was, finally, revealed as a tragic hero (and I blubbed like a small child at the last page, as Harry explains to his son "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew") the Pensieve always rather annoyed me. Oooh look, a way to explain everything I need to without having anyone say it ...), and what was that stuff about the Elder Wand having chosen Draco as a master, so that when Harry stole his wand that made Harry master of the Elder Wand as well? Did I miss something or was he just blagging? But with such a build up - this was the last chapter of a more than 3000 page story after all - she was never going to please everyone completely.
So I persevered, rather enjoying it, but sure that there was something missing. And then, 160 pages from the end came the return to Hogwarts. And it clicked. Because like all the best 'fantasies of place', like Gormenghast, or New Crobuzon, or Serenity, Hogwarts is a character in her own right. It's just that you never notice because she's always there and she doesn't say very much.
From there on in I read with tears in my eyes and, finally, and for the last time, I was utterly hooked. It took a while, but it was worth persevering.
Heading south at the weekend, to see family, A and C, and hopefully Miriam on Thursday if I can get hold of her ...
My back's started kicking off again for the last few days but, touch wood, yesterday and today were an improvement. Hopefully it'll be much improved for Sunday because, assuming I can look at myself in a mirror without wanting to cry, the Cruxshadows gig may see my first proper attempt at full drag. And, while I could wear my big clumpy boots - certainly preferable with a sore back - the outfit I have in mind works so much better with heels.
Have fun all :)
All in all, I'd go with the general consensus (with the notable exception of the ever contrary
thessalian :) ). It was an entertaining, although not stellar, end to the story, and I rather enjoyed. I maintain that they must have just sacked the editor after the publication of Prisoner of Azkaban on the grounds that, hey these are just children's books, albeit the most phenomenally successful children's books of all time, and what children want is quantity, not quality, and quantity they shall have. I can't imagine any author likes having their work pruned and tidied (how does the Michael Douglas character in 'Wonder Boys' put? "I sweat blood for four years and he corrects my spelling"), but I think the point of a good editor is that you only see the point of them when they're not there. Of course, what I'm driving is that each of the last 4 books in the series could happily have lost a hundred pages.
In some ways, it seems rather churlish to pick over the flaws. Whatever I claim, I rushed out and bought it, with a couple of million other people, and read all 600 pages of it in a week, which is fast, very fast, for me . It's easy to pick holes in the pacing, the excessive verbiage, the overdependence on exposition (while I loved the fact that Snape was, finally, revealed as a tragic hero (and I blubbed like a small child at the last page, as Harry explains to his son "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew") the Pensieve always rather annoyed me. Oooh look, a way to explain everything I need to without having anyone say it ...), and what was that stuff about the Elder Wand having chosen Draco as a master, so that when Harry stole his wand that made Harry master of the Elder Wand as well? Did I miss something or was he just blagging? But with such a build up - this was the last chapter of a more than 3000 page story after all - she was never going to please everyone completely.
So I persevered, rather enjoying it, but sure that there was something missing. And then, 160 pages from the end came the return to Hogwarts. And it clicked. Because like all the best 'fantasies of place', like Gormenghast, or New Crobuzon, or Serenity, Hogwarts is a character in her own right. It's just that you never notice because she's always there and she doesn't say very much.
From there on in I read with tears in my eyes and, finally, and for the last time, I was utterly hooked. It took a while, but it was worth persevering.
Heading south at the weekend, to see family, A and C, and hopefully Miriam on Thursday if I can get hold of her ...
My back's started kicking off again for the last few days but, touch wood, yesterday and today were an improvement. Hopefully it'll be much improved for Sunday because, assuming I can look at myself in a mirror without wanting to cry, the Cruxshadows gig may see my first proper attempt at full drag. And, while I could wear my big clumpy boots - certainly preferable with a sore back - the outfit I have in mind works so much better with heels.
Have fun all :)
