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pottery
08/04/2007 = 05:17 AM

Once the Mom has finished a Harry Potter book, I figure I'm pretty safe assuming that everyone else has, too, because she doesn't read so much as she savors.

That said, if you're still working on it, go away for now.

Also, if you're Andy or Andylike (not caring about Rowling Wid da Homies), this will bore your face off.

A spoiler is coming. I'll try to keep it ambiguous, just in case, and not spell it out, but it's still a spoiler.

You have been warned.

I hope anyone who thought the Harry Potter saga was "about" witchcraft, or that it was evil, read the last book. Then I hope they read the series from beginning to end.

These books have transformed from a cute fad into an allegorical masterpiece that could, ultimately, be used as a means of better knowing and understanding theological teachings and questions of morality — not a replacement for religion, but a supplement.

The pieces fall together in such a way that the reader cannot possibly mistake the message for meaning they should follow a path of evil. I saw parallels from the dogma of just about every major religion, and those parallels stress the importance of making the right choices.

On the other hand, those who don't believe in religion won't find it too in-your-face (well, it does get a bit Judeo-Christian-weighted toward the end of the book, but I presume J.K. Rowling was drawing upon what was familiar) and can continue to enjoy the books for their own sake.

It's a great story, no matter how you take it.

If you're still reading at this point, and you're okay with some slightly less-ambiguous spoilers, you can keep reading.

Hermione effed up twice — once in giving away the secret of 12 Grimmaud Place, once in breaking Harry's wand — so uncharacteristically that I actually thought there was going to be a plot twist (à la Moody at the end of GoF) where she'd been on the other side the whole time. I automatically assumed it wasn't just carelessness, was how bad those effups were.

Ditto Lupin, who called Tonks "Dora" when he was talking about the baby, but "Tonks" every other time he spoke of her. I couldn't figure out if it was just an inconsistency on Rowling's part, or if the Lupin Who Said "Dora" was an imposter.

Neither of these issues wound up having anything to do with the plot, ultimately. I was just borrowing trouble. It's What I Do.

If you're still reading at this point, and you're okay with seeing a completely irreverent condensed parody version of DH that is pure spoiler from start to finish, go HERE.

Laughed my arse off. Though I envy anyone with that kind of spare time.

Dear Ms. Rowling:

Whatever else you may do in this world, I hope you continue to succeed as you have in this. And if nothing else, I am proud to have participated, even as far in the outskirts as I am, in your journey.

I watched history unfold and my life is all the richer for it.

Thank you for making books cool again.

Thank you for telling this story.

Thank you for not getting bored and giving up.

Sincerely,

Golf "But For Heaven's Sake Couldn't You Have Given Me a Little Warning that Hedwig was going to Ring Down the Curtain and Join the Bleeding Choir Invisibile? I. Completely. Lost. It" Widow

Tags: Harry Potter

drinking: coffee
listening to: The Walkman, The Rat
movie fun: watch a harry potter, then watch clash of the titans and see maggie smith done up as a greek goddess