Harry Potter, Personally

At long last I’m breaking my silence about Harry Potter. 

Why haven’t I written about this groundbreaking series that I love before now? The short answer is that there’s always been so much more to think about and read, I suppose. I’m never one to jump on a bandwagon. I wait until the wagon’s long gone, the dust has settled, and the tracks are almost imperceptible before considering a fad. If it was worthwhile to begin with, it will still be worthwhile after the wild-eyed fans have moved on to their next obsession, leaving space for us skeptical curmudgeons.

Worth the Wait

Anyway, whether by busyness, patience, or sheer stubbornness, I didn’t even read the books until 18 years after The Sorcerer’s Stone was published. But guess what? I was right! They were still worthwhile! Since then I’ve read through the series twice and listened to it on audiobook twice. That’s quite a commitment—4,224 physical pages or 117 audio hours each time, or so the internets tell me. 

And after all that, I’m finally making time to discuss my thoughts here. If you haven’t read the series, now may be a good time to call in very, very sick and devote the next 117 hours to listening to the books. I’d hate to spoil anything for you. 

Harry Potter, Personally

For those of you who are already immersed in all things Potter, you know that writing about the series is like adding a drop of water to an ocean. What could possibly be left to say about this wildly-popular series? Surely, after a quarter of a century, it’s all been said before.

Well, I can’t promise to present completely novel ideas (see what I did there?), but I do promise to make it personal. This mini-series won’t be a critique or summary; it will be a peek into why I enjoy Harry Potter. 

A Glimpse into the Future

So what’s the plan? With such a long series, I can’t hope to write an exhaustive commentary. Instead, I’d like to look at just a few topics that come to mind when I think about Harry Potter, things that make the series worth multiple reads. Here they are in order of their planned appearance on the blog: 

Concerns—As a Christian I’ve heard a wide spectrum of concerns about the series. I’d like to begin by addressing a few of these from my perspective as a believer, reader, teacher, and mother.

Storyline—Rowling managed to craft a compelling storyline that delves deeper in each successive book, culminating in an ending that satisfies.

Characters—The story is supported by believable, (mostly) likeable, relatable characters who provide plenty of relational interest.

Heroism—Finally and best of all, the books (usually) model character qualities of a true hero in the actions of Harry and his friends.

Enjoyment Without Obsession

If you’re a Past Watchful Dragons regular, you know that there are a few things I’m obsessed with: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, being outside, Jesus, and my family. In no particular order, of course. I really, really enjoy the Harry Potter series, but I can’t honestly say I’m obsessed. I’m not sure if that makes you trust me more or less, but I felt like I should admit it up front. 

So while my readings of the series are far from making me an expert, hopefully they qualify me to share a few decently-informed opinions. I hope you’ll stick around for the ride, because I’m pretty excited about it. As always, I’d love to hear from you! Dissenting opinions, scathing denouncements, or even agreements are always welcome in the comments. 

Until next time, friends!