harry potter books

[5029]

of the harry potter books, which is the best (IYO) and why?

[Greenbhoy]

Goblet of Fire.

The World Cup and the Inter-schools comp........can't wait for the film o come out.

[Allen Crisp]

The first, because the character was new. Likewise, I enjoyed the first film most - it seemed to be more magical than subsequent offerings. I've read these books in order, as my children acquired them, and they seem to get longer and more tedious each time.

[the freak]

Asking me to pick one is like asking me to pick my favourite child. By the way, what does IYO mean?

[londondave]

in a recent survey of over 25s singles it was found that women would be put off men who read Harry Potter books. so my answer would be none of em

[londondave]

To the freak IYO means in your opinion!! I hate these abbreviations too

[5029]

Thanks Greenbhoy and Allen for your answers.

 

And to the freak and londondave, thanks for clogging up the answerbank with irrelevant answers, personally i wouldn't be put off a man who read them

[Greenbhoy]

So 5029, which is your fav Harry Potter book?

Have you read Barry Trotter?

[Lillabet]

My favourite is probably Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. With the Philosopher's Stone a close second. With the 4th and 5th books I felt that there had been a lack of editing, making them less suspenseful.

The first book I enjoyed particularly as I returned to reading a 'kids book' with a preconceived idea of the level of plot that would be involved. As I am sure was the case with most readers, I was enchanted by the premise and the detail but felt sure I could predict the ending. When Snape was not the bad guy I was impressed. I had genuinely not seen that coming.

Over the series JKR seems to be returning to a number of themes such as good and evil and each time blurring the distinction between good and bad. This makes for a fairly complex subtext in what seems to be a straightforward enough text. I have an interest in psychology and found the POA to be really engaging from that point of view. Also the point at which the series began to head towards much greater complexity and darkness. A book aimed at an audience from about upwards where the bad guy escapes and the one wrongly comdemned is not rehabilitated is pretty unusual. As such I think this combined with the fact it seems to have been better edited than the latter two makes it my favourite so far.

[Lillabet]

PS, Just as a point of interest. I recently read an interview with Philip Pullman, who wrote The Dark Materials Trilogy. He was asked why more adults seem to be reading children's books such as Harry Potter, TDMT and Noughts and Crosses. His answer (paraphrased) was that a lot of adult fiction has become trivialised and deals with relatively shallow issues - will my team win, will the girl /boy I fancy like me etc. Whereas some childrens literature was engaging with massive themes, such as what is good and evil, prejudice, religion meanings of life etc. That these are universally interesting and so appeal to more than the target audience.

His view certainly reflected my opinion of some childrens literature, including Harry Potter - I'd choose that over Bridget Jones anyday despite being in the late 20s female market that books like Bridget Jones are squarely aimed at.

[iamnice50]

I'd go for the last one (Order of the Pheonix) because it takes on a more mature writing and (In my opinion) isn't directed towards children, but towards adults.

It's the longest one, but the reason I like it the most is because each character is faced with people doubting them or making fun of them, but at the end of the book, each main character proves everyone wrong....eg...harry shows everyone that good ol voldy's back........Ron wins the quidditch cup and shuts malfoy up..........and the whole school gets rid of Umbridge. This book has a feeling that all of the characters stand united. Some proof of this is the fact that this book includes almost every single character from all of the other books (except wormtail...wonder why?)

yeah....no....i dunno!

[H!p!]

I dunno but not the 2nd or the 5th

[empegs]

The third is my favourite, but its a very close call as the entire series is fantastic!