What to write? I don't want to give anything away, cuz even if I post a spoiler people will read on and then yell at me.
I just finished about an hour ago, and I'm exhausted. I spent 7 hours total, though I took time to sleep and make breakfast and go to church and have friends over for lunch. The spell is ... slowly receding. But it's not a spell unique to Harry Potter. It's the spell that comes over me whenever I am really into a book, particularly a series book where you have to wait long interludes between installments, and so the characters live even more freely in your brain during the between-times. Then, the next installment does come and you read read read read not really taking time to appreciate the nuances of plot and character, just needing desperately to know what comes next, even though you realize you should be treasuring these moments because the pleasure of a new fresh read will not come again for a long time, years probably. And each time you reread the book you will wonder to yourself why you hurried through it so fast the first time, and tell yourself you ought to have savored it, for you will never get to read it for the first time again.
But wow. What a book. What a way to build up to a thrilling and fulfilling denouement. Now that I've finished, it all makes sense. The storied "major character" that we've all known was going to die, now that I know who it is, I wonder why I didn't see it before. I'm relieved to, for all of my favorites that survived the cut. I'm sad, because of the incredible sadness of the story, not least of which is the sad sacrifice Harry must make at the end, the pushing away what he treasures to do what must be done.
Yet as I said, the spell is wearing off, two hours later. I'm starting to feel that it perhaps might not be such a betrayal to let these people go, to let them fade into the temporarily-disused part of my mind. Perhaps I can turn on some music now. Before it seemed a desecration to forget them so soon.
And yet, I must, for I have a singularly awful task in front of me tonight: bill paying and finance untangling. Now that's scary.
3 comments:
I have not read even one of the Harry Potter books. so, would you recommend them?
I've been reading a great book, "Pathways to Purpose for Women" by Katie Brazelton. She is a great woman leader in the church.
I'm with you with the "scary finance detangling." higher education is very expensive. wanting to be a doctor is very expensive.
I definitely recommend the Harry Potter books! Just know that they are fantasy and they deal with topics of good and evil. Some Christians don't like them, but I have to admit that most Christians I've met or read about who don't like them have no idea what is really in the book, and they make ridiculous claims about devil worship, etc. Then they heartily embrace The Lord of the Rings, which are even scarier and darker. I actually heard a woman comment on the radio when the first Harry Potter movie came out that Christians shouldn't see it. She said, "They should see The Fellowship of the Ring, instead, because it's about real people." Real people!!!! She said that. Weirdness. But almost all of the Christians I know read and love the books.
Anyway, yes, I recommend them. They're fun and suspenseful and adventurous and (in the last one) romantic. They're just exceedingly well written.
Sorry, not very eloquent tonight. Have a headache. And I just scarfed down way too much of Sus's excellent banana bread, esp. since I'm off to pick up a pizza. Yay for free coupons!!! If only I can make it back in time for 7th Heaven. (My new vice. Tee hee. I feel like a teenager, watching the WB).
On the WB: I was working out last night and I saw the show "Reunion" advertised. I don't usu. watch the WB, but I think that new show looks cool, so I may check it out this fall.
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