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uberreinigerIn spite of the Harry Potter series now being more spoiled than a cottage cheese in a New Orleans refrigerator, I nevertheless finished reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire today and I must say, I'm glad I did.
The lingering problem of other preceeding Harry Potter book still exists here, which is if you're not Harry, Hermione, one of the Weasleys, or an adult, you can pretty much forget about anything like character development. I understand that Rowling has a LOT of characters to juggle here, but there are scores of characters who have been a heavy presence since Book 1 whom we still know absolutely nothing about.
It has been difficult for me not to find annoyance in the wizards' general bewilderment and ignorance regarding modern technology or clothing. But then something finally dawned on me: whatever else Harry Potter might be, it is, first and foremost, a childrens' book. (Yes, that's right. Unfortunately for all you slash-writing pedophile fangirls, they are CHILDRENS' BOOKS.) And part of the fun of childrens' books for kids is that they get to see grown-up characters acting like idiots. Once I finally comprehended this, I was no longer bothered.
The tone of this book is remarkably different from the others, becoming darker and more urgent than past installments have been from the moment Harry's name enters the cup. It became a very different sort of book, yet retained everything we've come to enjoy about HP. Not an easy thing to do. Everyone does a lot of "growing up" in this story (and given how it ends, how could they not?) Even Dumbledor seems to mature as he is forced to reevaluate the insular, often elitist society of which he is a part and question whether it as a whole is truly up to what lies ahead. What's great about all of this is the way that Rowling expresses so much of it by way of implication rather than direct statement. Many authors writing to young people would be afraid to try that. Not only does Rowling try it again and again, but she succeeds.
I saw something in this book I've never seen before. I groaned at the end when Voldemort starts acting like an Evil Overlord, setting Harry free so they can fight "honorably" rather than just killing him outright. This could have just served as a deus ex machina to get a weapon back in the hero's hand in order to give the ultra-arrogant insane bad guy his comeupance. But again, Rowling's powers of implication were at work. This wasn't just some overused plot device. Voldemort's words and actions leading up to it led me to understand that Voldemort needed to prove to himself that he could really defeat the person who'd been the bane of his existence on his own. Most people don't give that kind of development to their villains and it was refreshing. I was sort of bothered by the fact that it's stated earlier in the book that no one but Voldemort knows who all the Death Eaters are, yet at the end he's standing there just naming them all off to each other. Maybe he just thought the time for secrecy had passed? Possible, but it wasn't explained very well.
All in all a good book that has me eager to read more now that the story's finally picking up. Oh, and big points for the twist ending which I never once even guessed was coming... and then the further twist after the twist which twisted everything back around again.
The lingering problem of other preceeding Harry Potter book still exists here, which is if you're not Harry, Hermione, one of the Weasleys, or an adult, you can pretty much forget about anything like character development. I understand that Rowling has a LOT of characters to juggle here, but there are scores of characters who have been a heavy presence since Book 1 whom we still know absolutely nothing about.
It has been difficult for me not to find annoyance in the wizards' general bewilderment and ignorance regarding modern technology or clothing. But then something finally dawned on me: whatever else Harry Potter might be, it is, first and foremost, a childrens' book. (Yes, that's right. Unfortunately for all you slash-writing pedophile fangirls, they are CHILDRENS' BOOKS.) And part of the fun of childrens' books for kids is that they get to see grown-up characters acting like idiots. Once I finally comprehended this, I was no longer bothered.
The tone of this book is remarkably different from the others, becoming darker and more urgent than past installments have been from the moment Harry's name enters the cup. It became a very different sort of book, yet retained everything we've come to enjoy about HP. Not an easy thing to do. Everyone does a lot of "growing up" in this story (and given how it ends, how could they not?) Even Dumbledor seems to mature as he is forced to reevaluate the insular, often elitist society of which he is a part and question whether it as a whole is truly up to what lies ahead. What's great about all of this is the way that Rowling expresses so much of it by way of implication rather than direct statement. Many authors writing to young people would be afraid to try that. Not only does Rowling try it again and again, but she succeeds.
I saw something in this book I've never seen before. I groaned at the end when Voldemort starts acting like an Evil Overlord, setting Harry free so they can fight "honorably" rather than just killing him outright. This could have just served as a deus ex machina to get a weapon back in the hero's hand in order to give the ultra-arrogant insane bad guy his comeupance. But again, Rowling's powers of implication were at work. This wasn't just some overused plot device. Voldemort's words and actions leading up to it led me to understand that Voldemort needed to prove to himself that he could really defeat the person who'd been the bane of his existence on his own. Most people don't give that kind of development to their villains and it was refreshing. I was sort of bothered by the fact that it's stated earlier in the book that no one but Voldemort knows who all the Death Eaters are, yet at the end he's standing there just naming them all off to each other. Maybe he just thought the time for secrecy had passed? Possible, but it wasn't explained very well.
All in all a good book that has me eager to read more now that the story's finally picking up. Oh, and big points for the twist ending which I never once even guessed was coming... and then the further twist after the twist which twisted everything back around again.
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 11:55 am (UTC)Book 5 gets much darker :) Book 4 was my favorite. I can't wait for the movie. I need to reread book 6 because I was so anxious to get to the end, I didn't stop to enjoy the details.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 02:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 03:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 03:20 pm (UTC)I'm attacking the DARKNESS!! ! !! !! !! !
I must have it.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 04:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 07:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 04:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-15 05:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-14 07:53 pm (UTC)AKA: Jenn doesn't know Voldy is coming back, in the flesh. No one who hasn't read the books but has seen all three movies knows that, unless they've run across spoilerish casting notices and whatnot.
Just a thought. :)
Oh, and if you think THIS one is dark, and a major change in tone...woo howdy. I have one line from the next book, Order of the Phoenix, that will remain anonymous. It's a paraphrase at that, but I guarantee your face will break into a huge grin when you hit it.
'You assume I will go quietly. Let me assure you that I do not intend to go quietly.'
no subject
Date: 2005-09-15 05:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-15 06:30 am (UTC)So neener. :P
no subject
Date: 2005-09-15 06:42 am (UTC)