The Order Of The Phoenix

[poliphilo]

When has there ever been a best-selling children's fantasy quite so long or quite so grim?

Harry Potter's schooldays are turning into a via crucis. 

Rowling's universe expands. The Ministry of Magic and Grimmauld House are wonderful. The Ministry makes me think of the Circumlocution Office in little Dorrit. Grimmauld House (inspired name) makes me think of Arthur Clennam's house- also in little Dorrit.

 In fact all the way through I was thinking of Little Dorrit. (Little Dorrit is my favourite novel). Mature Rowling is a lot like mature Dickens- lots of jokes but an unremittingly sombre vision of life.

Dolores Umbridge is so New Labour.

This is a very ambitious book. As inventive as ever, but with a deepening moral complexity.  

Will the movie be able to deal with the moral complexity? I doubt it.

Invention+moral complexity=literary greatness: discuss.

Oh, it's not perfect. Nothing so big could possibly be perfect. I didn't care as much about Sirius as I think I was supposed to. But I do care about Harry's anger. Harry's anger is wonderful. Rowling remembers what it  feels like to be 15.

And Luna Lovegood. Now there's a truly Dickensian creation. 

Comments

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

I too prefer the books, but as I usually end up seeing the movies late in their run in Tallinn which means I am usually the only large person in theatre half full of smaller sizes does add an interesting dimension.

More to the point that interests me is that in a world where children are thought to have the attention spans of juvinile fleas and are routinely offered reading material that would put a hyper-active widget to sleep, CHILDREN! are buying and reading these very long, very challeneging books. Somebody, somewhere has been missing the point - and it ain't J. K. Rowling.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The books are getting more and more adult. OotP is a thrilling ride but it's also full of pain and anger. A kid who can manage this can manage anything.

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

I think the books and their popularity with young readers probably does reflect that childhood has become a much more threatening and dangerous period. The Potter books are popular for that they very reason - they reflect the reality that children are having to deal with. It also speaks to why I believe it would be a massive betrayal of the children if ole Harry gets killed off in the last book.