In two days' time, sales will commence of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the 7th and final instalment in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. A few days ago, I pointed to a debate about the decline in reading. HP is credited with prompting a revival in reading amongst youngsters, although I have started to place critical footnotes under the series.
The storyline follows broadly the same template in each of the six books, the characters do not show all that much development, and it is only the gripping storytelling by J.K. Rowling that has managed to keep hold of my interest. To my own disgrace, I have read hardly any books in recent times - my latest acquisition (The Children of Hurin by Christopher Tolkien) lies unread from page 70 onwards. Not because it's a poor book (it's very good), but because I just don't seem to get round to it. And I haven't got a hectic lifestyle.
Well, we'll see the usual hectic scenes at midnight on Friday/Saturday with people buying the new book at outlets the world over. Here in Stornoway, sales won't commence until the shops open around the 9 am mark.
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If only we could all have such bright ideas. She is a multi-millionairess through Harry Potter. I read the first three books and then gave up. To be honest I found them to be too much of a muchness. If she has encouraged reading in the young then that is a good thing but they should be reading other things apart from Harry Potter. I wonder if they will continue to do so.
ReplyDeleteI will be sitting by my mailbox Saturday waiting for my Harry Potter book, can't wait....
ReplyDeleteLinda :)
I for one am a huge Harry Potter fan but i usually wait until the paperback comes out. In my opinion anyone who opens a book get a thumbs up from me, it's a pity children seem to glean there knowledge of anything from the tv, I am lost if I don't have anything to read, and reading from a young age expands the vocabluary, as well as the mind, i don't know about anyone else but most of the time I have difficulty in understanding what young people are saying, there speech is without grammar or real words. Even if it is Harry Potter at least they're reading!
ReplyDeleteLove Yasmin
xxx
I have only read the first two books of HP and that was enough for me. I wont let my children read fluff (my opinion) like that.I admit she writes well, but I think her talent would have been better served writing books of a more positive influence.After discussing book reviews in my class, one child said she didnt like HP and suddenly everybody said the same thing.My point being...someone said HP was great and so ensued the mass hysteria about it.Only my opinion.Yes, they are reading it and that is scary.....there are sooo many books for kids out there if one takes the trouble to suss out the market for yourself and not just what everybody else is reading!
ReplyDeleteTo my mind HP reading is not to be encouraged, they create an unhealthy interest in the paranormal and occult in children. A dangerous game to get into.
ReplyDeleteJenny <><
I must confess to being a book reader to a fault I usually have three I am reading. And will probably exhaust readers with my contant enthusiasms. I used to read all the time to escape my troubles as a child and the habit became deeply ingrained. Books somehow pile up around me in ever increasing numbers especially now I can get them for a song to my thrift store. What absolute luxury. I was off on a book buying spree today, but got a long dress instead as the only one I could find that appealed was a novel 800 pages long, and my eyes won't take the abuse anymore. I want novelists to contain themselves. I hate it that wonderful novelists expect you to read 900 pages to get the whole story! That is my biggest complaint. Gerry
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