Why Harry Potter?
Reading Harry Potter as an adult might raise some eyebrows; after all it is categorized as Children’s Fiction, right? But life is too short to worry about other people’s judgement. Everyone has a place, person or book to go to when faced with challenges; for some its their parent, spouse, sibling, a visit to their place of worship and for many it is a book called Harry Potter and I am one of them. Every time I am struggling to stay afloat in really rough waters, I find myself taking recourse in this epic; and this the the second time I have picked it up again.
What makes it so special?
Harry Potter is written is very simple language with a very deep and interesting plot which is relatable in all stages of life. Since it is filled with timeless wisdom and some exemplary characters it can also be a very useful guide for our lives. I mean, c’mon! This book is a product of J.K. Rowling’s childhood dream to be a writer, combined with her deteriorating life conditions. How many people do you know who don’t crack under tough conditions? Not only did she not crack, but she converted all her difficulties into pure gold, which still makes me weep and laugh out loud simultaneously at 5:30am in the morning. You have to listen to what such person has to say.
Most notable characters
Every. Single. Character. Period. I mean it! Each person has meaningful presence and great depth; which you will eventually discover as you read more. However, if I still have to pick one character at gun point, I would say I get especially excited when Albus Dumbledore is talking. Every word that comes out of his mouth is very important; more important than exam stuff! It is timeless and very useful in understanding life.
Movies v. Books
Is that even a question? Books, duh! Interestingly however, my first exposure with HP was through movies. I was in primary school and my parents took me and my cousins out for Harry Potter back in 2001. I remember coming out of the theatre feeling like a witch myself (I mean euphoric..hehehe). I soon turned into a very annoying Potterhead (contact my family for details!). It wasn’t until I was in Law School and had a total knockout when I picked up the Harry Potter ebooks and I kid you not, these books healed me back to normal.
I found movies to be very impactful for building a fan base all over the world, but its not The real McCoy. Moreover, movies are very hard to understand the plot and also lacks all the rich literature otherwise present in the books.
In closing
I would say, read these books when you are ready and it shall not disappoint you, especially when you are in pain. After all,
“That’s what Hermione does….when in doubt, go to the library.”
– Ronald Wesley
Contemporology 