Over
the last few
months, I have had the pleasure to read the whole Harry Potter Saga,
and even more than that I've had the wonderful opportunity to discuss
the books with a few lovely friends. Their comments while I was reading
have been a precious gift to me, and I can finally understand why they
love the books so much.
Today SatinCoveredSteel and I are sharing our comments about the whole Saga. Warning: (some) spoilers ahead!
1. Mystery Writing
Raum:
I love the way the author put so many hints in the books and used them
to build such a complex and fascinating plot. So many times there were
scenes that made perfect sense given the setting, but then they took on a
new meaning as well, because they were preparing us readers for
something different. E. g. Aragog had been mentioned in one of the first
books, so when it died it wasn't strange for the readers. But the death
and the "funeral" became very important given the things Harry got
going to the funeral with Hagrid and Slughorn.
SatinCoveredSteel:
This is something I love about JK Rowling's writing, too. She works
very much like a mystery writer, laying out many clues or situations
that are only fully understood much later. I love the how the seventh
book in particular showed us a new side to so many things we thought we
understood before.
A question for the readers: which is your favorite book in the Saga?
2. What changed during the Saga
Raum:
I love that JK Rowling's writing style improved during the Saga. I
think it takes courage and strength to always try to do better, and that
shows in her writing.
SatinCoveredSteel:
What I noticed was that I liked her plots better and better as the
series progressed (although I think I enjoyed the 3rd and 4th books
better than the 5th). Generally, the books became more complex and
interesting as they went along, and of course each one built on the
existing complexity of the last one. In addition, as the main
characters grew up and dealt with more grown-up situations, it became
more interesting in that way as well.
A question for the readers: which changes did you notice during the Saga?
3. Characters
Raum:
I love the care the author gave to all the characters. Each one has
his/her flaws, and I really appreciate it. The Saga is not just Harry's
story, but it's the story of all the people the author makes us love or
hate or despise or pity. JK Rowling didn't create just a main character
or an adventure; she created a new world.
SatinCoveredSteel:
She put gave years and years of her life to creating that world, and
yes, it is a very full and interesting one. There are many wonderful
characters, some of them straightforward and others far more complex and
at times hard to figure out. For me, interesting characters are the
most important ingredient of a good story.
A question for the readers: who is your favorite character and why?
4. Fanfiction?
Raum:
The whole story is so well-crafted that, after reading it, I don't feel
any need to read HP fanfics (let alone writing them!). I'm open to
suggestions because...never say never, but so far I just want to reread
what the author wrote. I wouldn't like to see a single detail changed,
while in other fandoms I really enjoy AU fics, where the same characters
have different backgrounds and adventures.
SatinCoveredSteel:
Of course the first thing you want to do is reread it; I would too, if
I'd just read all seven books in a row for the first time! I've read a
few short Harry Potter fanfics, but I never searched very seriously.
I'm
sure there are some good quality ones out there...but like you, I
haven't had much desire to read them. I think you have a point that the
story in the books is very tightly constructed and satisfying, but I
think many people have written AU HP fics. I know some people like to
explore different character pairings, for example. I'm
sure there are fics elaborating upon things that happened in the canon
Saga, as well. A Snape POV of certain parts of the story would be
interesting, but it would have to be done well. Same with Dumbledore,
perhaps. Something else I think could be interesting would be stories
about what happens to the next generation of Potters
and Weasleys—the kids we see at the end of the book.
A question for the readers: which HP fanfics would you recommend?
5. Deep Meanings
Raum:
I love the way the story can be read discovering so many layers. I
think the last book is a great reflection about self-sacrifice (Harry),
the complexity of every human being (Dumbledore), the way you can keep
love going on even after the person you loved died (Severus).
SatinCoveredSteel:
I found Dumbledore's story fascinating, and we learn so much more about
him in the seventh book. Harry sees that everyone is fallible—even his
hero—but of course he also sees that we can learn from our mistakes and
become better people. Both Dumbledore and Snape had to learn from some
major mistakes in their lives.
For me, Severus Snape was the most fascinating character in the Saga.
One
of the main things I noticed throughout the books is the idea that
appearances can be deceptive—don't judge a book by its cover. Examples
abound in the books. Professor Quirrel, who seemed like a just a
harmless teacher, but turned out to be helping Voldemort. Mad-Eye
Moody, who turned out to be Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise. Scabbers, who
seemed like just a hand-me-down pet rat, but was actually Peter
Pettigrew, the man who betrayed Harry's Parents. Sirius Black, who was
believed by everyone
to be that betrayer, but who had actually been framed by Pettigrew and
wrongfully imprisoned all those years. There are other examples, but
those are the ones that come to mind. Some characters are more
straightforward, of course—for example, we pretty much knew what
Bellatrix Lestrange was like from the first moment we saw her, and were
never proven wrong.
But
I had a feeling that Rowling was playing with us when it came to
Snape. She usually showed a character's true colors over the course of
one book (Sirius's arc in the third book, for example), but in Snape's
case, she made us wait until the last book to show us what really
happened. One thing I never saw coming was his history with Lily,
although when Harry saw the silver doe Patronus in the forest, I did
wonder if that might have something to do with her (since James's was a
stag). I thought that was one of the most brilliant things in that
book, and it's
interesting to look back at the earlier books with that in mind. For
me, it's not simple...not at all. Snape wanted to protect Harry for
Lily's sake, but at the same time, he had to spend all those years
watching over this boy who looked so much like James, but with Lily's
eyes. Harry is the reminder of the girl he lost, the girl he couldn't
have...the girl who chose another. I wonder how much of his poor
treatment of Harry throughout the story was to hide his true mission,
and how much was genuine dislike because of the boy's resemblance to his
father? I suspect it's some of both. Perhaps Rowling leaves that as
an open question for readers to decide.
A question for the readers: which plot twist or which character surprised you more?
6. Humour
Raum:
JK Rowling's humor was an elegant trait that made all the Saga even
more enjoyable. It helped to break the tension, but it helped also to
fall more and more in love with the characters. Fred and George are a
great example of that. Even in the darkest
moments, they kept their smile on their faces.
SatinCoveredSteel:
Humor is another thing I feel is key to a good book—not always
necessary, but it almost always helps. With so much dark material,
there needs to be something to break it up, to make us smile in the
midst of it, and I think Rowling is wonderful at writing humor that
appeals to a broad spectrum of people—both kids and adults. Fred and
George were brilliant...but I'm still sad about Fred's death. The author
clearly knows where to hit her readers where it hurts, doesn't she?
A question for the readers: which was the most funny or sad moment in the Saga?
7. Learning from the Saga
Raum:
I think the Saga teaches us how our free choices are truly our most
important talent. Intelligence, wealth, beauty... they matter, they all
matter: the author doesn't deny it, because the characters wouldn't have
been the same without their most important talents. But no talent is
enough to grant you happiness. Everything depends on the choices you
make.
SatinCoveredSteel:
You're right. For example, Tom Riddle was an intelligent being with a
natural talent for magic (and yes, a handsome face), but he lacked
empathy for the people around him. Whereas Bellatrix was a fiery
villain who took pleasure in the pain of others, in comparison Voldemort
almost seemed detached, uncaring, cold. He could have been of great
service to the world, but instead, he turned his natural talents to
domination and destruction.
Dumbledore
and Grindelwald are another good example.
Dumbledore learned early in his life the pitfalls of thinking oneself
superior, and he changed course, instead becoming a champion of
Muggle-borns. Grindelwald did not learn the same lesson. Both men were
similarly talented and intelligent, but one chose the path of light
while the other chose darkness.
I
think if I had to name the single most important theme in the last
book, it's the power of love. Voldemort's failure to understand the
human heart contributed to his downfall. He didn't understand Snape's
love for Lily—couldn't fathom the power of such a feeling—and so didn't
see how Snape was working against him. It had also proved his undoing
on the night he killed Harry's parents, when Lily's love protected Harry
from harm and his own attack rebounded upon him. He overlooked that
power, because he didn't understand it—didn't feel it for anyone
himself. And he failed to learn, because he made
the same mistake again, on the night he tried to kill Harry in the
woods (in the last book). Once again, it was a mother's love for her
son—Narcissa Malfoy's love for Draco—that brought about his ruin. She
lied to him, telling him Harry was dead, and that saved Harry's life
again. Her priorities had shifted, and she didn't care about the death
eaters anymore; all she cared about was finding Draco and getting him to
safety. Voldemort didn't see this coming, because once again, he
didn't understand her love. It's one of my favorite things in the book,
and the fact that it's one of Harry's enemies who is mirroring the
actions of his own mother makes it all the more poignant for me. It's
like a perfect bookend for the saga.
A question for the readers: what have you learned from the Saga?
