dear orpheus
Finished Harry today with half an hour to the end of court.
It was one of those days when clearly the universe had cast its blessing upon my reading endeavours cos the hearing I was in went all day and was purely submissions so I tuned right off, enough to quiver, shake and totally tear up towards the end. Talk about having to shield the teary eyes, control the breaking up breathing, and hope the wobbling lip and trembling throat aren't wobbling and trembling too much. *rolls eyes at self*
Still. That's what you get with a fucking incredible writer and a fucking masterpiece of a book.
It's been really good to do this read straight through of all the novels which was certainly proved with this last book. Now I realise that when I read it the first time around, I was so feverishly eager to find out WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENS that I devoured without really pausing to examine. This time, I got sucked in enough to totally forget what the Hallows even were! So when ole Xeno named them for the first time, even I went "Woah, whassTHAT?!"
Oy.
Yes, this prodigious memory did cringe most mightily and snort a little. *shakes head at the Rowling talent*
It really was a classic example of why people re-read books and re-watch films/television shows, that thing of "once you know what's going to happen, you can sit back and examine how exactly it happens." Which is why I was startled to remember how much I resented having to cry at Dobby's death the first time around. This time, it made perfect sense and was treated absolutely beautifully and I didn't begrudge a single tear.
Also, I loved how Kreacher did respond to Harry's newfound sensitivity, really did illustrate the sentence that stood out this time of what Dumbledore says to Snape that in his deepest nature, Harry is most like his mother. Not just the green eyes, then. Love that sort of balance, that a child really is the product of two parents. And Lily's Aquarian! Same day as Bale. *lol* Hee. Oh the preening.
One thing that really startled me was just how much of an arse Lupin is in the last two books. I mean, I seriously want to thump him. And I do remember being so shocked the first time I read that little part about him wanting to leave a pregnant Tonks to go off on the quest. I was deeply deeply appalled. Considering how much I adore Lupin in his book form, it was particularly horrifying. I had exactly the same reaction this time around and god, totally cheered our Harry when he pulled Lupin up for it. That moment right there throws into sharp fabulous light just how much our Harry has grown up. We all have to kill our fathers, don't we? Only Harry doesn't do it with wand like Riddle --- what did Snape ever do about his parents? Anything at all? Man, I love that triple mirror of circumstances, Harry and Riddle and Snape, so.fucking.awesome --- but does it with word. And bloody good on him too.
In a way, realising the arse-ness of Lupin kinda made me more ready to accept his and Tonks' death. Cos, really, she was a bit moronic too, wasn't she? Left the newborn Teddy at home and rushed after her husband into the heat of battle, never mind anyone else. Did Harry rush after our Ginevra? Nope. But then I guess heroes always have to be cool bastards. If I've learnt anything from Pratchett ... hee.
Still, that was enough of a pattern to be recognised, how Rowling tends to chip away at the pedestals before she kills her men of worship and adoration. And to draw a very long tenuous bow, you could even link it to how Sirius never really grew up. By the time he fell through the veil this time, I was utterly sick of the man and ready to see him go. He was such a child! And Lupin could have quite easily gone the same way --- whingeing arse --- were it not for Harry growing up enough to call his bullshit. Stil, he and adolescently romantic Tonks died. Grow or die? Hmm. Long bow.
Man, I SO want to read a fic of how Dumbledore and Grindelwald fell in love and grew ever more powerful and corrupted each other and grew slowly apart and that final duel and oooh did Albus ever visit him in Nurmengard? It's so Clark and Lex, isn't it? But argh, even hotter for being all mixed up with Nazi Germany --- cos that's obvious, right? --- and Dumbledore going all evil and then coming back from it. Oof. Evil Dumbledore ... *dies wif happiness* Evil young HOT Dumbledore ... *dies a thousand little deaths*
Somebody's gotta have written it already. I go look. grindeldore, right.
But yes, this distance and foreknowledge of who doesn't die gave me the luxury to really examine the sense and absolutely bloody marvellous narrative logic. So excellent.
Although I have to admit: it always bugged me a little after I read it somewhere online or heard it, about the Half Blood Prince ... why doesn't Dumbledore or Harry just pour out each goblet of poison? They don't Have to drink it. It's only Dumbledore who announces he has to and he doesn't explain why, we're just supposed to take it on faith. Well, scuse me but by then I wasn't quite so willing to do the blind faith in Dumbledore thing any more.
What I think could have been good was just to see them try it. Harry pours out that first goblet of poison on the rock. And they both realise the poison vanishes from the rock only to reappear in the bowl. Just so we know, just so we see it. And then both of them looking at each other, realising this has to be drunk.
Sokay, I'll just write that into the canon in my head. Just like I write Dean smoking and saying 'fuck' and being in love with Sam into the canon in my head. Sorry, JK, but I'll blame the editor instead of you. I'm sure you wrote it or meant to write it. Cos, as far as I can see, you covered every other little possible hole. *nod*
I found it very interesting how the profanity increased from book to book, very carefully done. Were there puritanical American uproars about the 'damn's and the 'bastard's or were those excised according to country? And aaahhhhh, I do love the quaint sexual modesty of the narrative, that the sexual activity is never expliticised aside from the notable kissing moments but if you have a dirty enough mind, you smirk at those mentions of long afternoons alone. Okay, I did. Cos, yeah. Filthy Muggle mind.
Hee. I totally loved the epilogue all over again, especially now knowing which kid belonged to which couple. As much as I think no small child should ever have to answer to the name 'Albus', I would love to see what happens to him. He seems utterly adorable, so anxious and a little defiant. Gaawww. James is definitely his grandfather's grandson, a right prick. But Teddy ... did the werewolf signs ever manifest, how did he deal with that, who really brought him up? And ewwww, is Victoire worthy of him?!
We never did get told what careers they all ended up in, aside from Professor Longbottom. Did we? I wonder.
I did have a nasty thought again towards the end of the King's Cross Matrix scene --- sorry, it always reminds me of the subway scene on the train ... or am I thinking of Vincent Schiavelli in Ghost? Argh, shut up, brain --- along the lines of "oh dear, it's all a bit Christ, isn't it? Argh, not another Aslan subliminal campaign ... I can see the university essays already."
But, you know, I'll take Harry subliminal over Aslan subliminal any day. And well, to make it palatable to myself, there's always the good old Campbell chesnut of the archetypal sacrificed hero from Midras to Neo. You want your story to really resonate on those deepest human vibrations? Elaborate on the simplest and oldest myths, dress the never perishing skeleton up in different clothes of the time.
While discussing Buffy on another LJ, a comment was made about the development of mythology, the metaphor or fable. That resonated so much as I read the white tomb ending to Half Blood Prince. And considering I've had three separate people scoff these books to my face over the past week and a bit ---
"Harry Potter again?! Are you still reading that?"
Me, happily: "What? Oh no, this is the next book. I finished the other one! I'm reading them all, one after the other."
"Why would you want to do THAT?" in tones of supreme contempt.
Me so flabbergasted at the sheer ludicrity of the question that I even forget to lose my temper: "Because I can?"
They're just fucking lucky I didn't haul back and punch them right in the sneering snobbish face, considering how violently PMSing I am this week. Goddamned bloody snobs. Have people not realised yet? It's been eleven years since the first book came out. Get a fucking clue.
Also, I think it just insults me even more to have Harry pooh-poohed to my face. Cos I'm arrogant enough to think "Scuse me, you've seen me reading Joyce, Easton Ellis, Bronte and all kinds of other 'worthy' literature. Trust my fucking judgement, will you?"
I think as I remembered my temper, what came out was a withering "Are you being a snob? I would have thought you were far more intelligent than that!"
--- in light of that, how do I even begin to explain just how wonderfully Rowling does that fable of Growing Up, that incredible detailing of all the stages from childhood through adolescence to adulthood, not just the emotions but the intellectual development and gaining of independence from the past?
Should I even try?
Naaaaaahhhhh.
Those of us who know don't need to be told. Those who don't know yet, well hopefully they'll find out soon. And if they don't cos of snobbery, their loss. *shrugs*
It warms me so much to realise a generation of kids have grown up with these books and maybe many more will. Will it have contributed to their emotional and moral understanding, their spiritual development like the books we grew up reading contributed to ours? Okay, me, I read Bronte and Blyton but still.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
The future is unwritten.
Except for fan fic.
Hee.
It was one of those days when clearly the universe had cast its blessing upon my reading endeavours cos the hearing I was in went all day and was purely submissions so I tuned right off, enough to quiver, shake and totally tear up towards the end. Talk about having to shield the teary eyes, control the breaking up breathing, and hope the wobbling lip and trembling throat aren't wobbling and trembling too much. *rolls eyes at self*
Still. That's what you get with a fucking incredible writer and a fucking masterpiece of a book.
It's been really good to do this read straight through of all the novels which was certainly proved with this last book. Now I realise that when I read it the first time around, I was so feverishly eager to find out WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENS that I devoured without really pausing to examine. This time, I got sucked in enough to totally forget what the Hallows even were! So when ole Xeno named them for the first time, even I went "Woah, whassTHAT?!"
Oy.
Yes, this prodigious memory did cringe most mightily and snort a little. *shakes head at the Rowling talent*
It really was a classic example of why people re-read books and re-watch films/television shows, that thing of "once you know what's going to happen, you can sit back and examine how exactly it happens." Which is why I was startled to remember how much I resented having to cry at Dobby's death the first time around. This time, it made perfect sense and was treated absolutely beautifully and I didn't begrudge a single tear.
Also, I loved how Kreacher did respond to Harry's newfound sensitivity, really did illustrate the sentence that stood out this time of what Dumbledore says to Snape that in his deepest nature, Harry is most like his mother. Not just the green eyes, then. Love that sort of balance, that a child really is the product of two parents. And Lily's Aquarian! Same day as Bale. *lol* Hee. Oh the preening.
One thing that really startled me was just how much of an arse Lupin is in the last two books. I mean, I seriously want to thump him. And I do remember being so shocked the first time I read that little part about him wanting to leave a pregnant Tonks to go off on the quest. I was deeply deeply appalled. Considering how much I adore Lupin in his book form, it was particularly horrifying. I had exactly the same reaction this time around and god, totally cheered our Harry when he pulled Lupin up for it. That moment right there throws into sharp fabulous light just how much our Harry has grown up. We all have to kill our fathers, don't we? Only Harry doesn't do it with wand like Riddle --- what did Snape ever do about his parents? Anything at all? Man, I love that triple mirror of circumstances, Harry and Riddle and Snape, so.fucking.awesome --- but does it with word. And bloody good on him too.
In a way, realising the arse-ness of Lupin kinda made me more ready to accept his and Tonks' death. Cos, really, she was a bit moronic too, wasn't she? Left the newborn Teddy at home and rushed after her husband into the heat of battle, never mind anyone else. Did Harry rush after our Ginevra? Nope. But then I guess heroes always have to be cool bastards. If I've learnt anything from Pratchett ... hee.
Still, that was enough of a pattern to be recognised, how Rowling tends to chip away at the pedestals before she kills her men of worship and adoration. And to draw a very long tenuous bow, you could even link it to how Sirius never really grew up. By the time he fell through the veil this time, I was utterly sick of the man and ready to see him go. He was such a child! And Lupin could have quite easily gone the same way --- whingeing arse --- were it not for Harry growing up enough to call his bullshit. Stil, he and adolescently romantic Tonks died. Grow or die? Hmm. Long bow.
Man, I SO want to read a fic of how Dumbledore and Grindelwald fell in love and grew ever more powerful and corrupted each other and grew slowly apart and that final duel and oooh did Albus ever visit him in Nurmengard? It's so Clark and Lex, isn't it? But argh, even hotter for being all mixed up with Nazi Germany --- cos that's obvious, right? --- and Dumbledore going all evil and then coming back from it. Oof. Evil Dumbledore ... *dies wif happiness* Evil young HOT Dumbledore ... *dies a thousand little deaths*
Somebody's gotta have written it already. I go look. grindeldore, right.
But yes, this distance and foreknowledge of who doesn't die gave me the luxury to really examine the sense and absolutely bloody marvellous narrative logic. So excellent.
Although I have to admit: it always bugged me a little after I read it somewhere online or heard it, about the Half Blood Prince ... why doesn't Dumbledore or Harry just pour out each goblet of poison? They don't Have to drink it. It's only Dumbledore who announces he has to and he doesn't explain why, we're just supposed to take it on faith. Well, scuse me but by then I wasn't quite so willing to do the blind faith in Dumbledore thing any more.
What I think could have been good was just to see them try it. Harry pours out that first goblet of poison on the rock. And they both realise the poison vanishes from the rock only to reappear in the bowl. Just so we know, just so we see it. And then both of them looking at each other, realising this has to be drunk.
Sokay, I'll just write that into the canon in my head. Just like I write Dean smoking and saying 'fuck' and being in love with Sam into the canon in my head. Sorry, JK, but I'll blame the editor instead of you. I'm sure you wrote it or meant to write it. Cos, as far as I can see, you covered every other little possible hole. *nod*
I found it very interesting how the profanity increased from book to book, very carefully done. Were there puritanical American uproars about the 'damn's and the 'bastard's or were those excised according to country? And aaahhhhh, I do love the quaint sexual modesty of the narrative, that the sexual activity is never expliticised aside from the notable kissing moments but if you have a dirty enough mind, you smirk at those mentions of long afternoons alone. Okay, I did. Cos, yeah. Filthy Muggle mind.
Hee. I totally loved the epilogue all over again, especially now knowing which kid belonged to which couple. As much as I think no small child should ever have to answer to the name 'Albus', I would love to see what happens to him. He seems utterly adorable, so anxious and a little defiant. Gaawww. James is definitely his grandfather's grandson, a right prick. But Teddy ... did the werewolf signs ever manifest, how did he deal with that, who really brought him up? And ewwww, is Victoire worthy of him?!
We never did get told what careers they all ended up in, aside from Professor Longbottom. Did we? I wonder.
I did have a nasty thought again towards the end of the King's Cross Matrix scene --- sorry, it always reminds me of the subway scene on the train ... or am I thinking of Vincent Schiavelli in Ghost? Argh, shut up, brain --- along the lines of "oh dear, it's all a bit Christ, isn't it? Argh, not another Aslan subliminal campaign ... I can see the university essays already."
But, you know, I'll take Harry subliminal over Aslan subliminal any day. And well, to make it palatable to myself, there's always the good old Campbell chesnut of the archetypal sacrificed hero from Midras to Neo. You want your story to really resonate on those deepest human vibrations? Elaborate on the simplest and oldest myths, dress the never perishing skeleton up in different clothes of the time.
While discussing Buffy on another LJ, a comment was made about the development of mythology, the metaphor or fable. That resonated so much as I read the white tomb ending to Half Blood Prince. And considering I've had three separate people scoff these books to my face over the past week and a bit ---
"Harry Potter again?! Are you still reading that?"
Me, happily: "What? Oh no, this is the next book. I finished the other one! I'm reading them all, one after the other."
"Why would you want to do THAT?" in tones of supreme contempt.
Me so flabbergasted at the sheer ludicrity of the question that I even forget to lose my temper: "Because I can?"
They're just fucking lucky I didn't haul back and punch them right in the sneering snobbish face, considering how violently PMSing I am this week. Goddamned bloody snobs. Have people not realised yet? It's been eleven years since the first book came out. Get a fucking clue.
Also, I think it just insults me even more to have Harry pooh-poohed to my face. Cos I'm arrogant enough to think "Scuse me, you've seen me reading Joyce, Easton Ellis, Bronte and all kinds of other 'worthy' literature. Trust my fucking judgement, will you?"
I think as I remembered my temper, what came out was a withering "Are you being a snob? I would have thought you were far more intelligent than that!"
--- in light of that, how do I even begin to explain just how wonderfully Rowling does that fable of Growing Up, that incredible detailing of all the stages from childhood through adolescence to adulthood, not just the emotions but the intellectual development and gaining of independence from the past?
Should I even try?
Naaaaaahhhhh.
Those of us who know don't need to be told. Those who don't know yet, well hopefully they'll find out soon. And if they don't cos of snobbery, their loss. *shrugs*
It warms me so much to realise a generation of kids have grown up with these books and maybe many more will. Will it have contributed to their emotional and moral understanding, their spiritual development like the books we grew up reading contributed to ours? Okay, me, I read Bronte and Blyton but still.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
The future is unwritten.
Except for fan fic.
Hee.