Harry Potter and the Elitist Wench

Hm. Maybe it's time to read some A.S. Byatt. Anyone who slags Harry Potter and lauds Terry Pratchett in snooty intellectual tones is all right by me. (You have to register to read the article, but it's pretty simple and seems spamless.) She captures some of what frustrates me about the Harry Potter phenomenon - I don't think they're BAD books, per se. They're just boring. They're derivative. They're escapist, but escapist in the dullest of ways - who wants to run away to a SCHOOL? If I run away from my plebeian world, I'm going somewhere with a cohesive mythology, with some mystery and danger and FLAIR, not somewhere where magic is about pointing my stick and saying Latiny words. Please, friends-list, explain the thrill! I've read the first three, and I'm having a tough time wanting to bother to read more.

Really, I'm not TRYING to be elitist. Hell, I cheered over the news of a new Stephen King book a couple entries ago. I love good trash as much as the next girl - it's the massive adoration, the adult-people standing in line for hours to get their copy as soon as possible that has me befuddled. Why is everyone so convinced these books are brilliant? Is this some virulent meme I'm immune to? Gah!

Still, that Sirius is awful dreamy, isn't he?

ETA: Fixed the damn link.

The Grumpy Old Man Reading Club

Today, I packed The Dark is Rising and The Hero and the Crown in my bag to try and get a finger on why I love these and am annoyed by the Potter-ness. I can still chant the rhyme from The Dark is Rising in my sleep. "When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back; three from the circle, three from the track..." The Signs! So visceral. And the carnival-head of Herne. I love this book.

GIP

Wooo! Graham, you wicked wicked boy!

This is my Potter. duncang held down the Boy That Would Not Fucking Die and redid his scar just for me. Take THAT!

Bitch, I will graffiti you like a Starbuck's. Do NOT. Fuck. With me.