I love that they put it in caps, MAXIMUM EFFECT MADE. It amuses me somewhat, anyway as to why I decided, after so long to re-read Harry Potter, becaus...moreI love that they put it in caps, MAXIMUM EFFECT MADE. It amuses me somewhat, anyway as to why I decided, after so long to re-read Harry Potter, because of course, I have already read it. I'm not a geek for no reason but I'm determined to get most books that I can remember reading on here. It has lost some of it's magic for me, maybe its just re-reading childhood books but it just was.....different, slightly disappointing.
On the other hand I could now fully appreciate how much effort went into each character in her books, right to the insignificant barely says two words characters had a back story and a personality, something that made them different. Harry was a better character than I first though and I lovelovelove Ron, his humour is brilliant. The twins are a massive partt in the book again and bring it back to being a fun kids book. The Dursleys are horrible and even more now than when I was a kid I didn't understand just how horrible they were. I think I would've begged either Ron or Hermonie to let me stay with them so I didnt have to face them. Anyways one character I had completely forgotton about but admire the brilliance of was Peeves, overlooked by filmakers he was in a league of his own it was brilliant.
The idea of the lessons and the content was so detailed she pulled of this other world of a gigantic proportion, not a lot of books are able to put this much detail in and still make it interesting right down to the banking system. She made currency and a legal system which was interesting and yet seemingly plausible for the worls she had created. It was a delicate balance but pulled off masterly.
For starters the blurb writer has already got better, or they got a new one, whichever I am happier with the results. This blurb gives a bit more of t...moreFor starters the blurb writer has already got better, or they got a new one, whichever I am happier with the results. This blurb gives a bit more of the unexpected and livens the book up a tad, it also isn't all about the fact Harry Potter is a wizard...definate improvement..
This book was a LOT larger than the others and has taken me quite a while to read, especially as I've recovered from scarlet fever, so I have even less time to read it. But as much as the book was larger I think I prefer the third, only because this book seemed to want to move the plot line along so quickly that Rowling lost some of the characters I think. Ron and Hermonie who had made such a big impact in the books up until this point weren't paid so much attention to and that was a minus for me as they kept the book entertaining.
The Triwizard Tournament was a brilliant idea and gave Rowling a good excuse to introduce some more magical creatures and happenings in the book. The mermaids weren't how everyone depicts them, which surprised me as I thought she might go all traditional with flowing gold hair and beautiful faces but instead she went for the ugly as sin approach. Smart move I thought.
Krum was an interesting character and told the reader some of what Rowling thinks of celebrities, that as much as they can be talanted and everyone can think they are hansome in reality they can be imperfect and lot less than made out to be. An idea I agree with completely.
Cedric Diggory.....well he's ruined for me now all I can see is Robert Patterson feinging death every time I think about it, the graveyard scene is well played but the movie lost it for me. I'm glad for small mercies however, that Robert was only in the one Harry Potter film, I don't think I could cope with more of him wandering round Hogwarts with adoring fans.
To wrap it up it was a good book, with interesting twists which kept you guessing, a quality which is getting harder to find in books.
This is when Rowling kicks it up a gear, the book becomes more adult, less about the wonderment of the world that Rowling's created, it's now centrali...moreThis is when Rowling kicks it up a gear, the book becomes more adult, less about the wonderment of the world that Rowling's created, it's now centralised on the events. The main event being, of course in the title, the introduction of The Order of the Phoenix. With The Order's HQ in Grimmauld Place in introducced a different side to all of the characters I thought, Harry having to cope with a media frenzy against him and Sirius having a chance at life again. It was also the start of Snape turning into a shady character, one the reader wasn't sure if they could trust him or not. A tactic that made the end more anticipating.
Dolores Umbridge was a truly vile woman, I couldn't beleive how well made she was, as your teacher she would annoy the hell out of you, make you loathe her and generally disgaree with everything she stands for but then Rowling winds in a twisted evil streak disguised by the ridiculously fake girly outererior. She was a massive part of the book and I thought a great character to love to hate.
The start of the Ron and Hermonie love story is something which surprised me but was a sweet contrast to the other dark events in the book, I'm glad that she eased the darker side to the wizarding world into the book, if she had just suddenly gone all dark it wouldn't have worked at all.
The blurb writer for these things needs a different job or re-training or maybe an imagination. A book full of amazing magical creatures, werewolves,...moreThe blurb writer for these things needs a different job or re-training or maybe an imagination. A book full of amazing magical creatures, werewolves, animagi, red kaps, boggarts ...all this alone and none of it in the blurb. This book would've got a lot more attention a lot earlier with a better blurb writer I'd stake money on it and I don't EVER bet my own money on something. My family calls it tight but I prefer to call it clever, anways I'm diverting. Once again new characters are introduced and Sirius is very well written, his back story, though is changed throughout the book is very well crafted. The description isn't anything like the film at all, for one he has hair down to his elbows but I'm not complaining because as much as the book version is fine in the book, it wouldn't translate very well onto screen. (It would be another Loreal advert, rather like Taylor Lautner at the beginning of Twilight, it all got so much better when he cut his hair) Buckbeak was a clever part to the book, I didn't realise until they actually used Buckbeak what Rowling's plans were.
I'd completely forgotton the plot to this book so for me it was shocking when Lupin was a werewolf, I thought bout it but thats mostly Twilight brain washing there, nearly every book has a vampire or werewolf in it now and from a teenagers point of view.....it's getting a bit irritating. I'm not slating the books, I thought they were good (the films however...) but not EVERY book a teenager reads has to have be a vampire romance now we do want to read other things. No wonder the teenage section in Waterstones now is always on sale....everyone is fed up. Enough with my rants, I thought it was funny that when wiki pointed out to me that this is the only book in the series that doesn't have Voldermort in it. Weird that it had completely passed me by, the book didn't need him, it might of ruined it if he had suddenly popped up. Clever of the book to hide this from me to the final page, but something I respect. One thing I have to say for this book, it does make you really wish there was Butterbeer and if there was that you had some.
This time round wasn't as magical as the first was, maybe the effect had worn off me, which is a bit worrying as I'm in the process of reading the nex...moreThis time round wasn't as magical as the first was, maybe the effect had worn off me, which is a bit worrying as I'm in the process of reading the next one now. There wasn't much new in the wizarding world, however what was different was brilliant, she brought the flying car into a whole new level and gave it a wild personality complete with daring rescue, made me chuckle when I thought I really do like the car. The Weasley family was brilliantly portrayed, each member was different in a unique way, she didnt cop out and make obvious similarities in any of them.
Character wise the ever smarmy Lockheart was present throughout the book and exccedingly annoying but very well made. A complete con-man and coward which is something that has to be thought out well, an appropriate ending to him I thought but an otherwise much needed character addition. Ron's wand was a brilliant mini theme and kept me happy with slugs coming out people's mouths and purple bubbles.
To take a break from the Fifty Shades madness I decided to read some younger fiction as I'm now more involved with the children's section in Waterston...moreTo take a break from the Fifty Shades madness I decided to read some younger fiction as I'm now more involved with the children's section in Waterstones, where I work. I always feel uncomfortable recommending something I haven't read and someone suggested I re-start my 9-12's knowledge with some Julia Golding. This I did. Which you guessed because you, dear reader, are clever.
This series is about Connie a girl who gets on reaaallly well with animals, which is emphasised about every sentence on every page until she becomes part of the Society (I think this slightly makes cult like activity seem desirable, but hey, what do I know?). Once this happens the book gets really quite good, I wasn't expecting it to change my life because I'm not it's audience but it did keep me enthralled.
I wanted to learn about Storm Giants and Rock Dwarfs (my favourites of the lot) and dragons and sirens and selkies etc. Her never-ending stream of imaginative creations was really refreshing, she reminded me of old-school fantasy stories, when unicorns were new and vampires terrifying. She brought each creature a personality too which helped with their categorization system she had which was quite helpful/clever in her characterization.
The sirens getting *ahem* "angry" due to humans is such a clever way of getting kids to think about the enviornment and something other than the value of material goods and paperwork (grades). This contradicts the medias general message and I love it. I really am hoping that this has an effect on kids as it's something that will directly affect them.
The threat of an evil force which has no shape is interesting to analyse because it could mean a number of things, one such is the constant threat of disbeleif and ignorance or the refusal to change. This makes the book even more interesting to me as not only is it a battle between good and evil but Connie is also almost battling half of society. The dynamic of this is very interesting to delve into, especially as reading a book at face value is just half the fun. http://theteenagebookworms.blogspot.c...(less)
In this book Connie is taken away from Hescombe and everything Society related by a woman called Godiva and she is nothing like the truffles. With a p...moreIn this book Connie is taken away from Hescombe and everything Society related by a woman called Godiva and she is nothing like the truffles. With a poker self imposed up her arse she can sure suck the fun out of any situation and this particular situaion decides that fun has to be brought TO Connie as she cannot go to it.
Leads me perfectly to Argand, the gorgeous tiny golden dragon that whizzes around and is generally adorable, especially when abandoned (if you have a heart it breaks). Other than that we don't meet that many other creatures apart from wood sprites which were quite clever as they were centuries old and Golding pulled that off well I thought. She didn't overdo them she just subtly mentioned they happened to be as old as Merlin.
Other than this Col and Connie get closer in this book, though I was slightly worried about the way it was turning. As an older reader I assumed that that meant first crush and all that jazz BUT WAIT, be not so quick to assume Beth. Evelyn Lionheart, Connie's aunt is now going out with Col's dad. Yep, if Connie and Col do ever get it together it's gonna be a tad incestuous. Not something I can totally get behind, not a fan of incest myself you see.
Once again though Col and Connie bring it together for another showdown with Kullervo apart from this time Col does save the exposure of mythical creatures. It's all a bit complicated but that's the basics and once again Kullervo skulks off into some unknown dark cave to sulk for a bit and come up with a new cunning plan.
I forgot to mention Col's mother appears in this book as well, as she's companion to the gorgon that would kinda be assumed. She's a mixed up piece of work really, beautiful and all and Col has some real mummy issues he needs to address but she is one craazzzyyy woman. Too linked up with the gorgon to be honest to be a mother, God knows how she could tear herself away for that amount of time it would take! (less)
I had no idea that Denmark was called Hitler's canary, I didn't even realise how the Nazi's treated Danish people until this book. I, of course, knew...moreI had no idea that Denmark was called Hitler's canary, I didn't even realise how the Nazi's treated Danish people until this book. I, of course, knew about the Holocaust and the monstrous things that happened during that time but I had no idea that for such a small and normally peaceful country, they put up such a big resistance and evacuated THAT many jews.
This book was aimed at children as an adventure story but I beleive that unless you know and understand the context of this book you won't be able to get the full message of the book. The illustrations and general language, combined with the main character choice was screaming children's book however the message was strangely more adult and her mothers illness due to the cuts on her legs is quite graphic for a kid. I would've been very interested in the story from the mother's point of view, it would've been much more interesting....
A sweet book that let itself down by giving everyone a happy ending really, when that obviously wasn't the case in the war. I didn't approve of that but then again I can never see a childrens book being relevant or understood by children. I also disapprove of "wartime adventure" it wasn't an adventure!!! I really don't like it but that's just me...
Something about this book has stayed with me though, in the "Program Notes" I saw that the children wrote and drew pictures on the walls of their cells. To try and lighten up themselves and others most probaly but now we know that they were there. They left a mark therefore won't be forgotton, a desire I think a lot of people hold today no matter how they make their mark.
What a totally charming, heatwarming tale which proves that you don't need guns death to make an adventure. This is a lovely change for somone who see...moreWhat a totally charming, heatwarming tale which proves that you don't need guns death to make an adventure. This is a lovely change for somone who seems to only find these things in adventure novels nowadays..... (yes, I'm a tad cynical about adventure books).
It has lesbian balloonists, moustached artists and many many more great characters who you can't help but adore because of how well they're written. But Barnaby Brocket's family are the best literary family I have ever come across, strange and definitely normal but brilliant because they were so horrible and yet totally plausible. To be fair to the kids of said family they were the exceptions of the "horrible" since by some second miracle they turned out to be alright.
Oliver Jeffers' illustrations need a mention because they're divine. They encapture exactly what I was picturing mentally but at the same time
The fable-like narrative mixed with the modern setting and characters makes me feel that this is a modern fairy tale which I'm going to recommend to any and every person to read. Just because I love it that much.
But what I totally love most about this book though is that it celebrates breaking out of normality and expanding your imagination to the fullest. All this whilst revelling in others who do the same.
Loading...
