To the Boy Who Lived!
Thus begins another cycle of rereading Harry Potter, which I fear I’ve begun too early. Every time a new Harry Potter book comes out, I reread all the previous ones, but I never time it quite right. And so again I’ll frantically reread bits and pieces of the first six books over and over as I wait for book seven. The final book.
You know the feeling you get when you’ve finished a book that you’ve been completely absorbed by? There must be a word for this feeling, the feeling of being jerked rudely from a paper-and-ink world and slammed back into reality. I fear for it—I can only assume this time, when the series ends, the feeling will be many times magnified—come the third week of July, when Harry Potter finishes his last year at Hogwarts. And then what, Ms. Rowling? Now that you’ve got the world dancing on a pin, and we’re all aswirl in mixed-up emotions? Will you leave us with any promise of more Harry to come?
I think the last time I so dreaded and anticipated a book was when The Amber Spyglass was released, the third book in Philip Pullman’s brilliant His Dark Materials trilogy. But although Pullman’s books are more substantial than Rowling’s, and although Lyra and Will’s world is just as absorbing as Harry’s, the fact that there were only three books lessened the blow of finishing them.
And so I’m terrified to keep reading. It’s not just about what might happen to our beloved characters, it’s that their paper-and-ink world will soon be closed.
* * *
current book: Finishing The Sorcerer’s Stone and starting The Chamber of Secrets. How quickly it is already moving…
current music: The Shins’ Wincing the Night Away.
current run: Ten miles last Saturday, which felt much better in the cool, rainy weather. I just bought new running shoes tonight… sadly, they are lavender. Which is entirely too close to pink for my tastes. Why can’t they make running shoes like cars, where you can pick your model and color separately?
Posted 25 June 2007
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I’m just starting Chamber of Secrets, too…on the ride toward the end with you!
And I’ve been meaning to tell you that I am now officially addicted to the Margot and the Nuclear So-and-So’s.
When are you coming over to play badminton?
Badminton! Badminton! Badminton!
With an open invitation like that, you better watch out, or I might start camping out on your front porch!
i started re-visiting hogwarts at the beginning on june, not knowing how indian market would affect my reading schedule & i thought the book was coming out earlier in july so now i’m 1/2-way through half blood prince & i’m worried about the in-between time. i think i might re-watch all the movies to prepare for the new movie.
I prefer to delay the gratification–I still have to read #6.
I might go back and read the 6th one, Harry and the Half-Blood Prince, before the final book debuts: I’ve read the first 3 books multiple times and the Goblet of Fire is okay, but I couldn’t stand the Order of the Phoenix.
Also, would you mind if I borrowed your His Dark Materials trilogy? I went to the library, but the kids had already descended and there was one tattered copy of the 2nd book left on the bookshelf….
Yup, of course you can borrow HDM. I’ll try to remember to bring them to the bike class on Saturday.