My Thoughts
Most people in the blogging world have already commented on this series. But, nevertheless, I will add that I enjoyed Rowling’s amazing creativity in writing this series, although I think her writing was pretty generic and nothing special; especially in the later volumes, Rowling could have fine tuned the novels a lot more. The fact that publishing deadlines and impatient readers affected the quality of the writing was regrettable. To me, Rowling is an example of an marvelous creative writer, not necessarily a great writer. (If you disagree, please don’t attack me. To each his own!)
My favorite books were Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I thought the first (Sorcerer’s Stone) was the most well-written and clever (it wasn’t too violent and yet all three major child protagonists had a significant role in the resolution). I thought Prisoner of Azkaban was the cleverest resolution. I disliked how violent the entire series got by Deathly Hallows, but I still enjoyed all of the series.
I’m sure I’ll read these books again, especially when my boy gets older.
A BBAW Giveaway
For now, I’m giving away my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, along with a Harry Potter bookmark. The book is the hardcover British (Bloomsbury) edition and has only been read two times, so it’s in great shape. (My other Harry Potter books are the American versions, and I only got the British version this time because I was living in Australia last year.) I’m willing to ship it anywhere in the world. GIVEAWAY IS OVER.
Please leave a comment with what you loved most about the magical world of Harry Potter. In other words, what magical thing do you wish you could have in your life? Quidditch? Flo Powder? Dumbledore’s putter-outer? Diagon Alley?
For me, I really wish I had a time turner. I can always use more time!
I loved Harry Potter! I thought it would be easy to think of what my favorite part of the magical world would be, but it’s hard. I think I liked the new creatures and spells and places that popped up in every book, they were always a surprise to me. If I could have anything, it would be a magic wand. I always thought being able to cast spells would be pretty awesome.
Excellent contest! I’d love to have the British version of the book!
My favorite thing is the mix of magic and reality in the Harry Potter world – that’s something I’ve always loved about Fantasy in general, and it was my definite favorite thing about these books. I mean, HOW COOL would it be to have magic as a part of daily life?!
I’m with you on having time tuner power. I also would like do over button so that can redo certain situations inwhich I didn’t do my best or didn’t project my best self.
I am a total sucker for Harry and one of the things I would love to have is Buckbeak. He is soo cool and I love the fact we could fly anywhere we need to go. Of course, I would have to keep him from eating anyone. LOL!!
I’ve got to admit I’m a big HP fan. I didn’t read the series until after book 6 came out, but then I became completely addicted. When we moved across the country and the HP books were the only ones that were unpacked for six months while we looked for a house, they became my touchstone, my stress reliever. I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve read the first six books over 20 times each, and I’ve probably read Deathly Hallows 5 or 6 times now. Whenever I want something light, I head back to my Potter shelf, which feels like a staple.
I do agree with you that the writing was pretty generic. I was particular irritated with repetition and useless words like quite, rather, and apparently. I lament the time constraints that lead to less good editing. My two favorites in the series are Prisoner of Azkaban and The Half-Blood Prince. The only one I don’t really like is the Goblet of Fire.
I think it would be fun to have a magical broom so I could fly. That’s what I think of off the top of my head. You don’t need to add me to the contest, though – I have all seven of the books, so someone else should get your copy. 🙂
I’ve recently hooked my workout buddy on HP, and she’s so excited now and isn’t (too) embarrassed to be reading “kids” books. But my 7th book is at my Mom & Dad’s in Ohio, I want to reread it now, and I’d love to read another British version–my friend picked me up HP#3 when she was in London and I just read it a couple months ago… very funny reading “torch” instead of flashlight…
As to what I most want from Harry’s world… I think I want the Weasleys for neighbors… or maybe a wand. No, I think I want the Weasleys more than I want a functioning wand.
My favorite part of the Harry Potter world is the Weasley house, the “clock” they have, and the magical housecleaning… hehe Thanks for the giveaway, I would be beyond thrilled to win!
Lindsey
Wow. What a great giveaway! To be able to fly around on a broom would be great I think. But silly-wise I love the paintings that talk and move. It’s great!
Awesome. GREAT giveaway!
Uh… to anwer your questions, in the world of Harry Potter, I would love to have Hogwarts school of witch craft and wizarding. I think that would be awesome!
Please enter me.
Evie S.
Really cool giveaway. It’s so hard to choose what magical aspect of Harry Potter I wish were real, but I think I’d have to say apparition. It’s just…SO COOL. I would pull a Fred and George Weasley and apparate all over my house…hehehe….however, I could do without the splinching, thanks.
My favorite part about the magical world is the pensieve.
I adore Harry Potter. It’s hard to pick just one thing – I’d really like it all. If I had to pick one aspect, I guess it would be Hogwarts. I’d suffer through high school again if it could be there.
Traci
One of my favorite objects was the Pensieve.. it would be so nice to store your memories and be able to relive them again! That and all the mystical creatures – dragons, trolls, unicorns, phoenixes.. So cool.
My favorite things are the Room of Requirement and the Marauder’s Map.
🙂
I have all the books except this one!
I would love to be able to just make feasts ‘appear’ and then magically disappear when everyone’s finished!
I love Hogwart’s, the school with the mostest everything. 🙂
I’d have to say the Marauder’s Map. I like to know where people are.
I’ve only read the first four books but would like to finish the series next year so please enter me.
I don’t know what my favorite magical thing is, I’m probably with you on the time-turner though. I could use one of those.
How cool would magical powers be? The invisible cloak/cape or the way you could travel so quickly. It would be amazing to travel so quickly.
I am a big fan of Harry Potter, tried to read the first book to my 4 year old son. It was a little too much for him to sit still for, will try again later.
The magical thing I would most like to have is being able to transport from place to place through the fireplace. I’d do away with that awful money pit known as a car.
Definately the wand!
sj3girls(at)hotmail(dot)com
Don’t enter me, I already have the British edition. Just wanted to say that I totally want a time turner too! I’m always complaining that I don’ t have enough time to do everything I want.
flying would be such fun!
I completely agree with your comments on Harry Potter–while the writing wasn’t excellent, the world she created was so detailed and complete, and the themes were powerful enough that I didn’t care. Some books are great writing, some books are great stories, and the masterpieces combine the two. But mostly I just loved the way I felt when I read Harry Potter.
I would like to put an original answer for what I would want of the magical world, but truthfully I would also want the time turner. Just think how much more I could read!
wow! i loved pretty much everything in the harry potter world and wish it was all here in real life. i guess the one thing i would want to have here are those wands. they are just soo darn awesome!!
I would like to be able to go to Diagon Alley. All the shops would be really cool to go to. I’d go to Weasley’s Wizard Weezes.
Brandon
sithbrandon@yahoo.com
My favorite thing is the ability to time travel – wish I could do that!
I love all the magical spells they do with the crazy words they say for them. I also like how they get to/from Hogwarts school!
Pet dragon named Norbert (I have a brother named Norbert but I think a dragon would be way better)!
it would be amazing to have Quidditch as part of my life. i mean i love the sports we have right now, don’t get me wrong. hockey, basketball, football – they are all great. but adding Quidditch to the current professional sports would be pretty cool!
Please enter me.
I also wish for a time turner.
Thanks
I really like the idea of pictures/photos/paintings being alive and animated…Though it might get annoying, I think that could be a lot of fun 🙂 Not that flying cars wouldn’t rock 😉
-Lucile
A MAJIC WAND THAT COULD DO MY HOUSEWORK, MY HANDS GIVE ME A LOT OF PAIN SO THAT WOULD BE MY LIFE SAVER….
i love harry potter period: spells and the magical world….wish i could have cool companions in real life…i would love to win this
a Thestral would be cool to have, even though i wouldn’t be able to see it, hahaha. maybe i’ll just stick to a hippogriff or make it easier and give me a broom. Having a port-keys would be pretty cool too, or Floo powder!
I really NEED this prize because…I have not read a single one of the Harry Potter series! But other than that what I would like is the ability to turn back time…so the time turner would be my choice!
dlcwin[at]gmail[dot]com
I loved the loyalty of Harry and his friends to each other and courage under difficult and sometimes deadly circumstances.
Thanks to everyone who entered! Check out Rebecca Reads for the winner.
Amanda, thanks for your thoughts: such generic words were what I was thinking of. But it’s still so much fun, isn’t it?
I’d have to agree with you, Rebecca. These books are incredibly creative and Rowling creates a completely original universe. But I don’t think they are great writing. The Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite (so far, I’ve stopped after book 4). I liked how that story unfolded and was so enthralled by it.
Brice, I think the subsequent books keep unfolding and unfolding: they get much more complex, I think. A step beyond the simple stories of the first few. Do you intend to read the rest?
I got bored with the fourth one. I started reading the series after the fifth movie, because as much as I enjoyed the other movies, I liked the extra depth of the fifth one. I got to the fourth book and was just having trouble getting into it. I think I’ll pick it back up after I get done with the other books I want to read.
Brice, if it’s helpful, many people consider the fourth book the slowest, most monotonous book of the series. There’s a lot of repetition and a lot that could have been cut out. The last three are far superior to it. When I’ve gone back to reread the series (which I’ve done too often), I usually skim most of book four.
I have to put in my two cents and say that the fourth HP is my favorite!
I’m going to give it another chance here soon. I’d really like to get through the series by the sixth movie. Pretty feasible with how far apart they are putting the movies…
I loved the fact that when you read it the boks came to life. I liked the visions she gave me in the books more than I did the movies.
The books are so creative that they push your own imagination where it never went before. Even the most staid and unimaginative mind boggles!!!!
Mystica
Its a different world out there
It’s interesting because I read the book in the 3rd grade, most of us were obsessed with it. I read the first book and really liked it! I wasn’t obsessed and it wasn’t my favorite book. It was very fascinating and creative, though. After reading the 1st book I went on to the second and was bored out of my mind. I don’t know what I didn’t like about it but I stopped in the middle of it and read the 3rd and 4th and liked them pretty well. I never got around to the next 3. I’m one of those readers that have always liked and thought books like Harry Potter and Twilight were ok but not my favorite. I think this is because It’s not the best writing the world it just has an AMAZING story line and creative line of thinking. Overall, Rowling is a genius! She came up with this story, entertained kids and adults all over the world, and not to mention made more money then anyone could imagine!