Harry Potter Mania

Well, I got my copy yesterday morning and finished it last night (sometimes I wish I could read more slowly to make good books last).

I think JK has produced another excellent book. Her characters are growing up convincingly. The relationships between the main characters is evolving and their personalities are developing, especially Harry's. Whilst still having a reckless disregard for school rules, he takes some important decisions and we also see him stand up to authority figures.

Without giving anything away, there are some significant changes in the status of some of the main adult characters. The book ends very differently to all the others and will leave you hoping that we don't have to wait so long for book seven.

To anyone who might think, "I can't read this, it's a children's book" I would say: Yes, the language clearly isn't highly complex but neither is it dumbed down. She uses ordinary vocabulary and doesn't shy away from painful or emotional scenes. It's not going to be the most challenging thing you've ever read but her books are well written and rewarding.
(Note: start at the beginning of the series as you need to understand prior events to get the most of out of it.)

I think I enjoy them so much as they are fantasy at it's best. Classic fight of good against evil, a reluctant hero with his close companions fighting an unbeatable foe. Pure escapism.


Which leads me onto this article on the BBC site:

'A primary school cancelled a Harry Potter day over complaints it could lead children into "areas of evil". ... the event - to mark the launch of the new JK Rowling book - was scrapped after parents and a local rector expressed concerns about witchcraft.

In a letter to parents, headteacher Paul Martin wrote: "When I received a letter from the rector which suggested that I was 'seeking to lead our children into areas of evil', I felt that the situation was escalating disproportionately. May I reassure parents that my staff and I only wished to raise the profile of reading."'

The rector in the story has completely missed the point of the books and I would make a guess that he's probably not read any of them. JK puts strong emphasis on the loyalty of friends and the power of love, light and goodness over "evil".

I first read The Hobbit when I was nine years old. I understood that it was a story. I might have daydreamed in the garden about meeting elves and fighting dragons but then I went inside and had my tea! I could distinguish between fiction and reality. Providing that the book is read with parental involvement - i.e. to reassure a frightened child or to discuss the difference between stories and real life - there is no harm.

I'm sure there are many fantasy fans that have explored the occult. However, I think the link is reversed. I would argue that it is not necessarily fantasy literature that "leads" people to the occult but that perhaps people who have a general interest in other-wordly things are more likely to be drawn to fantasy literature.

It would be very interesting to know whether the rector would voice the same mis-givings about Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Cinderalla, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales ... all of whom contain magic in some form or another?

We all need a bit of magic in our lives so I wish you ...

Magical Journeys.