The Reading Challenge Group discussion

So after a few of us chatting in the request thread, we've decided to do a Harry Potter buddy read!

This is planning to be really casual. Personally, I'll be rereading them in order, but if people want to read one or two or just join in the discussion randomly, everyone is welcome!

As always, please tag your spoilers! As we're likely to all be reading at different paces and on different books, tagging spoilers is really important!

And if you don't want to read the books, but want to join in the discussion, you're more than welcome. It's a super popular set of books that everyone has an opinion on!

I'm really excited for this - this is one series that I read as the books came out, and haven't re-read since. Can't wait. I'm hoping to start soon.

I'm thinking of taking it slow, and starting tonight. I know I'll probably want to rush through them, but I'd really like to pace myself and get the most out of them.

It's honestly been years since I've read them!

I'm in!

Yay, Camille!

I started tbe firet book yesterday. I haven't read it in years, so it will be interesting.

I started yesterday too, and I'm about half way through already.

I seem to have lost my own mental picture of everything now that I've watched the movies a million times. The first movie is really close to the book, even down to exact phrases. I've only noticed a couple differences so far.

I finished the first one today. I rated it 4 rather than the previous 5. It is great and the world needs to be built, but the whole philosopher stone business literally happens in the last two chapters.

I also don't get why (view spoiler)[they are sent for detention in the forest when it's so dangerous... (hide spoiler)]

That's a good point, Camille. (view spoiler)[I suppose being with Hagrid, it's not supposed to be so dangerous - except then he splits them up. (hide spoiler)]

I also finished the first book yesterday (and accidentally started the Chamber of Secrets, too). I'm really enjoying them, even though I can never read them with fresh eyes again. The first two are definitely more middle grade - more adventure stories than anything else.

I totally agree. The series gets much darker but also much more complex and it goes. I love that J. K. wrote it that way... Wasn't content to just write another book like the one before, as in so
many series.

Yes, I'm looking forward to more "mature" writing as we go along!

That was interesting, Sonia, thanks for the link!

I'm not doing very well at pacing myself, I'm afraid. Just finished the Prisoner of Azkaban... brilliant. It's definitely still a favorite. I also think this is where the writing started to grow up a bit.

I'm going to try to slow down a bit now. :D

I have recently downloaded the first 4 audio books of the Harry Potter series which are beautifully narrated by Stephen Fry.

I am a huge Harry Potter fan and read all the books when they were released, which are fabulous. More recently I have watched, re watched and oh ok, watched the films again which are also fabulous but unfortunately tainted my memory of each of the books.

I am currently listening to The Goblet of Fire and am rediscovering the joy of the book, so much good material was missed out for the film and because of this I had completely forgotten.

Same here! I read all the books on release, but have watched the films countless times and I can't remember what my initial impressions from the books were now. They did so well casting the movies that I'm ok with that, I think.

I'm onto Goblet of Fire now too. I'm finding that the longer books are better to re-read since they couldn't include everything in the movies. So much fun.

Gah I've gotten so behind on this! I really need to get on with Philosophers Stone!

To be honest, I find the first two books a bit of a drag, knowing that things really start getting great at Prisoner of Azkaban (my favourite HP book), so these ones are always slightly harder to get through.

I might just try and read Philosopher's Stone today, and get it out the way!

Fies anyone have the illustrated editions? The first two are out, and absolutely gorgeous. I stare at them in the book store haha

I haven't seen the illustrated editions, Jenny. I'll have to look for them.

Holly, good luck making progress on this today! I felt the same way about the first two books, and found myself looking forward to Prisoner of Azkaban. That one's still my fav so far.

I have read the seven books over the last.....10 days? Enjoyed them as much this time as the first time around :)

Do you have a favorite after re-reading, Deborah?

No, on consideration, I don't. In this series each part is necessary; that is, none is really a stand-alone book. Personally I don't find the first two uneventful - though the very first was a bit uneven, as a debut often is and it is very clear that she really got into her stride with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Reading the last one I kept thinking - she really did have this whole storyline in her head from the start. Amazing.

Allison- The only issue I found is the print is tiny...

Deborah, I wouldn't say the first two are uneventful either. I do think they lack the depth of the later books because they are geared more towards kids and because the characters are still younger kids. That's not really a bad thing.

I've also noticed a few things on this re-read that come into play later, and was surprised to see them hinted at so early on. She definitely knew where she was taking it!

Book One Spoilers Ahead

I'm in the middle of the first book, marveling again at all the delightful invention. How we bond with underdog Harry sleeping under the stairs. Cheer, when Hagrid final reaches him in spite of his selfish, narrow-minded uncle's efforts to keep him down. And again when he refuses Draco's handshake because he "knows the right sort." Diagon Alley. The Sorting Hat. Quidditch! The way Harry, Ron, and Hermione bond over the troll. The Mirror of Erised (My favorite). Wizard Chess. The way WE bond with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they work together to face the gauntlet to save the Stone. Even the smallest details like the candy and the way characters are named. Even before all the movies. Before all the other books. This was the book that hooked a generation. I never, ever read it without my jaw dropping at the sheer magnitude of Rowling's imagination.

I just finished rereading the second book. It still feels a bit childish and like the conclusion happens really fast. But it is s great story, I loved it.

I'm in the middle of Azkaban, and enjoying small details which I'd forgotten. Like Harry doing his wizard homework on the sly at night and hiding it from the Dursleys. Or the fact that Hermione's beloved cat was a ginger. :)

I'd forgotten that Hermione's cat is really a character on its own - loved that.

Just finished Azkaban and it's now getting better and "darker".
I only got annoyed by Rowling describing the rat's tail as bald. Rats have silk hairs on their tails!

I just finished the fiurth book and it is my favourite so far.

How are you all progressing?

Finished Goblet recently as well. Yeah, I forgot how much the characters develop in this one.

I also finished Goblet. Very much enjoyed it, but found that knowing the ending changed my perceptions throughout and made it much more sinister than the first time I read it! I took a bit of a break to catch up on some challenges, but will get back to book 5 soon I think.

I just finished Order. I have mixed feelings about this one. The end is amazing, but the teenage angst and Harry's drama queen behaviour annoyed me a lot. As did the all caps passage. Still gave it 4 stars.

Also spoiler/trigger (view spoiler)[did Umbridge get gang raped by the centaurs??!! (hide spoiler)]

I've been putting off Order. I remember being frustrated with a few things... While totally loving others. And i just needed a little break from all the flying teacups. (Not that I don't love them.) Am planning to get back on the broomstick as soon as I get the new class sorted. ;-)

Re-reading the series too, although I'm doing it from now till end of the year. I've lost the number of times I've done this (well I would re-read all existing ones before a new one came out so...) but it has been a few years and I'm loving it.

This time I'm listening to Stephen Fry and he is brilliant, naturally :0) Have done 1-3 and Prizoner of Azkaban is still my favourite.

Order is particular with Harry's anger but it makes sense. So far he's accepted everything but finally he's grown up enough to realise the enormity of the thing and the injustice. I'd be more than annoyed too ;0)

I keep trying to put my finger on what makes these books so amazing and addictive, and I think it is because Rowling makes us feel wonder whatever our age.

I'm in the middle of Half-Blood Prince and found myself getting bored, so I'm reading another book and will get back to it.

I finished the HBP today. I still like the storyline but I got really annoyed with the teenage angst and romance. I feel like a lot of it could have been cut out from the story.

And Harry's behaviour is so annoying. It's like he hasn't learned anything at all. I was reading reviews of it and someone mentioned how he hasn't even bothered working on his Occlumency even though it's really important. And how he doesn't bother with the task he has been given with regard to Slughorn because he is too busy thinking about girls and Quidditch.

I also felt sorry for Malfoy in this book.

Veronique wrote: "Re-reading the series too, although I'm doing it from now till end of the year. I've lost the number of times I've done this (well I would re-read all existing ones before a new one came out so...)..."

The story narrated by Fry must be pretty awesome!

I finished Order a while back, and I think I actually enjoyed it more this time around. Maybe because I knew it was going to be angsty and was braced for it. I did wish that people would just tell Harry what was going on, but understand why they didn't (I guess). And I also noticed that Sirius was really bitter and grumpy - not the idealized Sirius that I had in my memory.

I haven't started Half-Blood Prince yet.

I've been struggling with books 5 and 6. Then I started book 7. I reached page 75 and gave up. I find it quite poorly written. I have had enough of entire pages of X said, Y said, Z said... Buy a thesaurus already.

I have also found two problems with the story already and I have no patience for this. By the time you get to writing your seventh book, you shouldn't let this happen. Nor should the editor. Not all the blame is on J.K.

1) Mad-Eye tells everyone they can't discuss plans outside Harry's house and then all get inside to discuss it. Then when they are outside ready to take off, he yells "See you at the Burrow in an hour!". Really? It's not like there are Death Eaters flying above you or anything.

2) When they get to the Burrow, Lupin makes sure Harry is Harry and Kingsley makes sure Lupin is Lupin. But they don't check anyone else. They go on and on about safety but that goes out the window when Arthur shows up. Okay, then, what was the point?

I can't go through hundreds and hundreds of pages like that, plus I remember the Ron/Hermione romance to be extremely annoying. So I'll pass. That's me done!

Am about halfway through Half-Blood.

I finished Half-Blood Prince a few weeks ago. I still really loved it this time. I like that we get some good time at Hogwarts. I know other people have complained that nothing happens, but I don't feel that way. The ending.... still terrible, but I think I've managed to accept it since the first time I read it.

Camille, I can see your points, but for some reason those things don't bother me!

I enjoy Harry Potter books because they tell a great story and I really like the characters, so I overlook her writing style, etc. I have all of them twice except The Deathly Hallows, and I plan on reading them again when my grandson is old enough to read them too, in a few years.