(no subject)
Well, I've been bad.
I pre-ordered HP:tHBP a looong time ago and so was included in this thing that Amazon did where they shipped the books overnight without charging us any extra. As I am going to be riding Greyhound to go see Chris this Monday (a roundtrip to NJ was actually cheaper than a trip to Williamsburg. And Chris is helping to pay for my trip so it's very afforable) I had decided that I would save the book for the ride...
Well, I wanted to at least see what the chapter titles were... and look at the artwork at the beginning of each chapter... it wouldn't be a crime to just read the first chapter, to get a feel for the book, you know...
8 hours later...
I'm done. Sometimes I wish that I didn't read as fast as I do. Especially after just having devoured a book and knowing that I will have to wait awhile until I can read the next one.
Oh well, I'll just read it again on the ride there. Maybe I'll bring OotP too.
I feel compelled to record my initial thoughts but as I know that most of you have not read the book yet, I'm going to put things behind the cut and if you want to leave a comment, just scroll by it quickly.
The big thing that stands out is that I am disappointed by Severus and Draco. Not just because I like them in a canon with a twist of fanon way, but because it's just too simple. I don't like it when the guy you suspect as being a baddie actually turns out to be one. I would have liked to see Draco come over to Dumbledore's side and help him and I think that having Snape turn out to be on Voldemort's side is an injustice to his character. I liked having him be the complex one. The good guy that isn't perfect, the good guy that's still a jerk and maybe doesn't even like the people he's working with but still is on the side of good. That's so much better than making the man in black with the hooked nose and greasy hair to be what you thought he was in the beginning. Your gut instinct was right, black=bad and Slytherin=bad. I really wanted more development and redemption even. There is still a final book and so there is still a chance for redemption, but that's just me being hopeful and not passing a complete judgement until all is finished. You can't judge a painting until the paint has dryed, or a book until the ink has dryed.
Also, maybe I read too much fanfic, but I swear, (and I thought this in OotP too) so many things keep cropping up that just feel fanficcy. I do know that the people over at the HMS Fang and Flora (Bill/Fleur), The Good Ship (Ron/Hermione), and the SS Wotcher Wolvie (Remus/Tonks) are overjoyed while those at the HMS Orange Crush (Harry/Ginny), and the HMS Strawberry Tart (Ron/Lavender) were all elated and then crushed. Some of the pairings just seemed a bit incidental, notably Remus and Tonks (nothing against Tonks, but Remus is not getting over Sirius that easily. . .) and at times like that I felt like I was just reading a good fanfic.
The main thing about the book is that I did like a lot of it. Most books don't get me to chuckle when I read a funny line. And although there are things that I don't like, I know that I can rest assured that I will still be able to sail with my favorite ships and hold onto certain beliefs even if canon contradicts. There's always AU. :) And not many ships have ever sunk from canon contradiction. You can still talk about how it would be and why it should be. So, no, you have not sunk the SS Prudence and Potions, JKR, nor will you sink it as long as I have breathe in my body and blood in my veins!
As it's about 4am, I think that you can excuse my ramblings and I shall excuse myself from the net and go to sleep.