Reading for Me

To begin my reading in the new year, I completed the fifth volume of the Harry Potter saga. In this 5th year at Hogwarts, Harry learns much about his past and destiny while struggling with his own demons as well as the Dark Lord and the infuriating High Inquisitor of the school. Of all the books I have read thus far, Phoenix has been my least favorite. I do recognize its importance to the story as a whole, however.

I found The Order of the Phoenix to get off to a very slow start. Truthfully, if I had not been so invested in the series, I probably would not have completed the book. (I tend to quit reading books that have not grabbed my attention within the first 75 pages or so.) Additionally, I found myself longing for Dumbledore's influence on the story. I love the adventures of the children and have enjoyed watching them grow up, but their stories make a much more profound statement when they are enjoying the interaction of all the faculty. My reading was often distracted as I kept wondering why the Headmaster was not commenting on the situation.

As the novel began to reach its climax, I became enthralled with Harry's story again and just couldn't put it down. The quality of the writing of the final scenes restored my confidence in Rowling and has me looking forward to the 6th year of our heroes' studies at the Wizarding Academy.

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The fourth year tale of our boy hero, Harry Potter, is significantly longer than the novels that have preceded it and takes on a decidedly darker tone. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione grow on the pages of the novel, the reader is treated to more mature discussions of relevant topics raised by the plot. The Goblet of Fire centers around an international competition that Harry has been entered in against his wishes. With each passing task, Harry discovers the importance of honor and honesty in his pursuit for victory. Additionally, the novel addresses topics of racism, deception, and death in a manner that is appropriate for the young reader.

What I found most intriguing in this year at Hogwarts’ was the return of Voldemort. It is interesting to see how the horrific memories of past events have faded in the minds of many of the HP world while others valiantly strive to keep Voldemort from regaining power. As the novel comes to its conclusion, a clear line is drawn between those who choose to ignore the changing scenario and those who are preparing for battle against the forces of evil. It is very clear how Christian overtones and themes can be applied to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Quite simply, the novel speaks powerfully of the necessity of man to choose either good or evil.

Without a doubt, Rowling has prepared the reader for a powerfully charged read as we approach year 5 with Harry and the gang. I’m already looking forward to diving in!

I wanted to keep things light at the beginning of the semester, so I returned to the world of Harry Potter for the third installment in the series. Although I found the book a little slow in the beginning, HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban quickly turned out to be my favorite of the novels I have read thus far. I especially liked the themes of self-empowerment and overcoming darkness with light that pervaded the book. As the reader discovered more about the death of James Potter, we learned a little about making rash judgments right along with Harry. Perhaps the most powerful lessons were taught about assumptions through the stories of the hippogriff and Black. Both were thought to be extremely dangerous, killing machines. In the end, the truth about both the magical creature and the feared wizard came to light.

There are so many other things that could be discussed…..the battle between the Patronus and the dementors……prisons that must be escaped (both literally and figuratively)……as well as ideas of discernment and true friendship. I am certain that I will return to this book again and examine the themes more closely now that I know where the story is heading. Prisoner of Azkaban has definitely made an impact on my reading life….and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining read.

When Harry Potter made his way to American bookshelves in 1998, I was a graduate student who had just started working with the children’s ministry of a local church. In that position, I felt the need to read the controversial book in order to have an opinion to share with children and their parents. As I read, I was looking for problems…..and found some things that I thought parents should know before making their own decision about the book. In my search for information, however, I missed the story and excitement of Rowling’s characters. Almost 17 years have passed since the novel made its American debut and I have found myself wondering what all the hype was about, so I decided to read the series this summer. What I found was a charming book filled with moral dilemmas, images of pure love, and the challenges of finding your own identify during childhood. Additionally, I only found a few scenes that I found questionable for pre-teen readers (the target audience of the book). Instead, what I discovered is that I was enthralled by the story and simply could not put the book down. I have actually had to forbid myself from returning to the library to pick up the next installment before I finish a couple of other books that are on deck.

I realize that I am just beginning my journey with Harry, Hermione, and the rest of the cast at Hogwarts, but I am definitely excited to see how the story continues. I’m just glad I don’t have to wait as long as the original readers did to find out what happens in the next year of school.