Last night, I finished the 6th Harry Potter book (again), choking back tears (again) when I got to the tragic ending. Lee and I watched the new movie last week, which helped me recap the 5th book. Now, I feel prepared for book #7. I’m ready and waiting.
I enjoyed the latest movie, although I enjoyed the book much more. The last couple of books have grown darker and more complicated, and the movies just can’t get as deep into the issues, characters and relationships as the books can. This last movie just scraped the surface. I still liked it, but I’m glad I read the book too to help me fill in the gaps.
Side note – I freak out every time I see a picture of Daniel Radcliffe as any character other than Harry Potter. I don’t even like seeing him photographed as himself. I came across a photo of him in a magazine just last week. He was wearing a leather vest over his bare chest, with his hair spiked, giving the camera a menacing glare that seemed very un-Potter. I’ve avoided all photos from the theater role he had earlier in the year where he appeared on stage naked. That is just WRONG! You would totally get expelled from Hogwarts for that. One day, when the last Harry Potter movie has been made, maybe I’ll be ready to see Daniel Radcliffe as something other than Harry. But until then, it’s his face I see when I read my beloved books, and I just will not accept my Harry Potter in any other role for now.
Unless Amazon.com fails me, the new book will arrive at my door on Saturday – just in time for Camille’s birthday party! Maybe all the kids will want to sit around and let me read Harry Potter aloud to them! But I doubt it…