Pick-a-Shelf discussion

I loved the first 4 books & I've re-read them many times but I'm re-reading the 5th book (order of phoenix) and am finding it really hard to keep going (about halfway). It's like Harry is going through some annoying phase and it's really really annoying me! I'm not sure if I can keep going and it makes me question what's so good about these books! But I know love the first 3 most! Ok, so they're the thinnest but that's probably the best because it's not dragged on and on and on... like the 5th book! or the 7th! (I can't remember much of the 6th atm)
I know at least half of the people here have read the HP series, what do you think? Do you feel the same way?
Just needed to vent...

Lets see. I need to re-read 1-4. I don't remember them very well. But I really liked the 6th. It is actually my favorite. Also, it made me cry at the end. And I don't cry a lot with novels. But 7 was dragged on and on and on. I was expecting a lot more. 5th was okay, nothing special. And like I said, I would have to re-read the 1-4, but I liked them, from what I remember.

I think for me book 5 and 7 are not as interesting because Order of the Phoenix is so full of angst!Harry, while the first half of Deathly Hallows drags really slowly. Still, I love the fact that DH still has its own plot while at the same time trying to answer all the questions to wrap everything up... yeah, I might be biased since I kind of worship JKR.

The best one in the series is definitely Goblet of Fire though. I think it's a turning point of the series, where everything starts getting a bit darker and a tad more serious. The last bit in the Riddle cemetery still makes me weep every single time.

One thing to add... if you haven't, you must try listening to Stephen Fry's version of the HP audiobooks. He's so brilliant and he captures the stories so well that nothing feels dragged when you're listening to him.

you know, i've never tried audio books - it may actually help to rest my eyes huh? will have to look into it

I remember thinking that Order of the Phoenix was kind of long, and I didn't really like Half-Blood Prince at all. Both were just kind of filler books to me and nothing monumental happens. And, since you've already read it, your brain probably doesn't feel like it needs to keep going. I think Goblet of Fire might be my favorite HP in the series, followed by Deathly Hollows.

Oh, and no one yell at me, but are there any other people who really aren't big fans of the HP/Ginny pairing? I just think it's kind of weird.

Karen,

IMHO, I've always thought Harry spent waaayy too much time in Book 5 feeling sorry for himself. At first I thought it was just annoying. Looking back, however, I thought JKR did a good job embracing the attitude of a 15 year old boy, and tried to overlook and get back in the plot.

But, I completely agree with your thought on Harry's attitude, and that's why I probably won't reread 5.

Mel, funny we've never talked about this. I have a hard time with any of the romance in HP. I still think of them as 11 year olds, not adults, and I probably never will. I eventually accepted that Fred and George were grown-up, but there was so much emphasis early on about how Ron, Hermione, and Harry were young wizards that, even at the end of book 7, I still didn't think they should be fighting. So, any of those relationships were wierd to me. I guess even at the end I didn't see them as mature as JKR wrote them. I thought it was just me.

I loved them all. I had problems with book 5 through 7, but not enough to cause me to stop reading. Book 6 made me cry, that was the hardest book for me to read. I haven't reread any of them, I don't reread books generally.

Liz, I'm not usually one to reread books, either. I'd have to wait a LONG time in between, so hopefully I would forget some things.

Julie, I didn't realize we never talked about it! Yeah, just weird. They're too young, and I just view Harry and Ginny as almost like brother and sister. But, you already know how I felt about the Epilogue of Deathly Hollows!!

It's been quite a long time since I've read the books but I do remember Order of the Phoenix dragging. My husband never did get through them because of that one.

Hang in there, it's worth it :)

Mel, I don't really mind about the HP & Ginny pairing but what I did mind in book 6 was the amount of kissing but then again I guess it was the kinda thing you would do in those ages (16?) still I still found it a bit of a turn-off cuz it's almost every chapter there's somebody kissing someone or maybe I'm exagerating since I don't quite remember how much, all I know was that it was a lot more than what I'd prefered.

I'm almost to the end of the book now and I have to say I was really getting into it last night. I think there are parts of the book that I think we could do quite well without. And yes, Julie, HP attitude as a 15 yo emo was really overpowering. I really like the series but maybe just not this book as much...

no offense meant to HP lovers, but i was never an HP fan. i just recently tried to read the HP series only so i could satisfy my curiosity and so i wouldn't feel left out. but then again i could say that i was entertained and at least now i could talk about gryffindor and quidditch and KNOW what i'm talking about.

i think i love the first series most and i haven't got to finish book 7 because i already skipped the middle chapters and read the last chapters instead because i couldn't stand (and didn't have the patience for) the suspense. i know, im such a loser! =)

Lynai, I can understand why you skipped the middle chapters of book 7, I remembered reading it and thinking this is just dragging on. But I managed to hang in there to the end cuz I really want to know the end but I didn't really want to read the end because that would mean the end to the series (if that makes sense to anyone out there!).

I'm another huge HP fan. I don't recall feeling as though any of the books dragged on, actually. I guess I just wanted to be immersed in his world as much as possible, so I cherished every word (I was a latecomer to the series like Angel).

Melissa - I didn't get the Harry/Ginny relationship either. I always thought Harry and Hermoine would be great together, though.

Karen - My DD listened to the entire series on CD. She really enjoyed it.

I have never read any of these books. I am hoping my boys will want to read them one day, then maybe I will.

Ann - Personally, I don't think you need to wait! They may be YA books, but that really doesn't affect how good they are. I particularly enjoyed how the characters grew up throughout each book, and the story & setting really pull you in, too. I don't think it took me longer than 3 days to read any of the books in this series, even though they get pretty long as you get to the last books.

Jamie, I could kind of see the Harry/Hermione thing, but Rowling definitely foreshadowed Ron and Hermione from the first time they met!

Ann, I agree, you shouldn't feel the need to wait. They're a great series -- I never really felt at all that they were even young adult reads. Sure, the kids are all young, but Rowling writes at a pretty decent level and as the characters age, so does the subject matter and the writing style, if you ask me.

Melissa - True. Those 2 were my favorites, though, so I was just kind of hoping!

I think I would have to re-read them again, even though it wasnt too long ago that I finished them. I had 2 books that didnt thrill me very much. About the Harry/Ginny issue, I couldnt stand it, and still to this day, I have a problem with it. I wished it was Harry and Hermoine. This series was recommended to me and at first I wasnt going to read them, I really didnt see what the big deal was. So, of course, I was curious. But, this series, I have been through so many emotions. Like an emotional rollercoaster. I really enjoyed the series and marked them as one of my favorite series and I will re-read them again.

I, personally felt HP series was a little overhyped and tad overrated. But it really pushed a lot of young readers into reading, so I'm happy with what JK Rowling has done.

I am a huge HP fan, though, ironically, I hate Harry Potter. I think that he is annoying and self absorbed. Around book five is when i started to hate him and began to turn to the dark side... Draco Malfoy became my favorite book. I spent the next three books (fifth book included) wishing for Harry to die. I don't like the Harry/Ginny pairing, partly because I hate Harry, but also because I actually like her. I would agree with whoever said they thought the 4th book was the best... I really liked that one.

Wow, Kathryn, I have to say that's the first I've heard of anyone rooting for Draco Malfoy. Have you come across any other people?

I know I got really annoyed at Harry in book 5. Book 6 still just as annoying but I just re-read book 7 and it wasn't too bad. I started feeling sorry for Draco then too.

I have actually met a lot of people who have rooted for Draco. My sisters and all of my High School friends rooted for Draco, and not Harry. I know that it is a bit odd, but two books of hating Harry made me turn against him.

I have read all the books twice through with the exception of the Deathly Hallows. The Order of the Pheonix was indeed a painful exercise in patience, both times I read it.

***SPOILERS***




I got into the series around the time the 6th book came out just to see what the hype was about and I was immediatly sucked in. I thought the end of the series was a bit of a letdown though and I have no real reason for that. The middle dragged but I think that it was more that the storyline didn't go as I expected! Dumbledore dying was when I started feeling disconnected from the series.

Personally, I think the Harry/Ginny pairing was foreshadowed in nearly every early interaction between the two. It was foreshadowed at least as much as the Hermione/Ron pairing.

Deathly Hallows, in particular, seemed to drag on. To me it seemed like it was under-edited. It was like the publisher was fine with any length, and the editors weren't going to push as they already knew JKR was a gold mine.

I think my niece rooted for Draco -- or she wanted everyone to die in book 7 -- I forget which. Personally, I think that by the time Draco stopped being a bully he was fueled by more pathos than Harry. I can see how that might draw some folks in to liking him, but to me it just left him a pathetic asshole.

I have read and enjoyed all of the books in this series. My favourite would have to be "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." I think the Triwizard Tournament is so exciting, and I loved reading about all of the challenges. :)

That's my favorite book in the series too!! Although I love them all.