Finshed. Finally.

[thistlechaser]

First off, apologies to those of you who care nothing about HP and had lots of Thistle-HP-posts cluttering your friends page yesterday. It won't be a habit and probably won't happen until the next book comes out in however many years. :)



I finally finished, and all I'm really sure about is that I'm glad I can say that I'm finally finished. Enough, enough, enough. I had to really push myself to get through the last couple hundred pages today, my mind was balking and protesting reading. In my opinion (which seems to differ than many other fans'), it was not a very enjoyable story. There were some good elements (loved Lovegood, Dumbledore calling Voldermort 'Tom', and Fred and George's final days at the school), but all in all I didn't *like* it.

Maybe I was expecting too much. I was probably looking for it to have things it didn't (Snape. Could there have been any less of him in it?). Though, you know, this line almost made up for the whole thing:

Snape eyed Harry, tracing his mouth with one long, thin finger as he did so.

I hit that sentence about 2 AM, and boy did it have me giggling.



I guess I might have more thoughts at some future date, but for now I have had enough. Getting some aspirin, hitting the bathroom (have had to go for way too long now), and then... something not reading-related.

Comments

at page 11...

[elo-sf.livejournal.com]

...but I stand by my previous opinion that each book while longer has been of decreasing enjoyability (overall).

Re: at page 11...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'd agree with you, yes. Book 4 had been my least favorite until I finished 5.

fantasy

[elo-sf.livejournal.com]

...part of it is that Book 1, and then even 2 to a large extent took us somewhere playful and wonderful. A fantasy world that really sprung to life on the screen.

By book 3 and 4 it felt rote. The defense against the dark arts teacher as red shirt, etc.

4 was especially brutal to read.

I'm sure I'll slug through 5 though.

[ash-ketchum.livejournal.com]

Haven't you ever heard of reading WHILST on the potty? You wouldn't have had to hold it for such a long time. ^_^

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

*snerk!* It's so big and heavy! Not exactly on-the-potty reading!

[whitebearwrites.livejournal.com]

You don't know me, but I just wanted to comment about your post(s) regarding OotP. Me personally, I liked it, but that's just my personal opinion. I liked it better than PoA, and before this book I didn't think it was possible for me to like anything better than PoA.

I understand where you're coming from with Umbridge, that woman made my skin crawl and I hated how she walked all over the teachers and Dumbledore. Personally I thought Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore were all too passive with her, yes McGonagall put her in her place a couple of times, but this is McGonagall, I expected her to rip her to pieces way before then, McGonagall and Snape. But by the end of the book I understood why they were all passive. Umbridge had a position of power that Fudge gave her, Fudge literally gave her the power to fire them all if they didn't follow her ways. Yes Dumbledore and Hagrid both eventually left, but Dumbledore still needed people inside Hogwart's, and honestly I think McGonagall and Snape were the two most loyal teacher's to him in the school once Dumbledore and Hagrid had both gone, so Umbridge probably watched them both closely, honestly if I was in their position I'd act the same way.

It's my favorite so far, but I felt that a lot of it had been plucked right out of Fanfic. I feel for her personally, HP is one of the biggest fandoms I've ever seen, and if I were her I'd be curious to see what people were writing and saying about my character's, I suppose she couldn't help but be a little influenced. *shrugs* Or maybe it's me that's influenced? *grins*

[daltontrix.livejournal.com]

I don't know you, but I find it odd that you're about the only person I've seen who's had the same thought pattern on the way McGonagall and Snape reacted (or rather, didn't) to Umbridge. They -couldn't- do anything without being kicked out of there faster than they could say 'Um', especially without Dumbledore there.

...Of course, by the same decree, they also couldn't do anything about the general chaos going on, as well, since it "wasn't in their subject". ;)

Re:

[whitebearwrites.livejournal.com]

I thought it was pretty obvious why they couldn't act like they normally would. *shrugs* I wonder why we're the only people with that thought pattern. They couldn't get fired because Dumbledore wouldn't have had anyone in the school to tell him what was going on.

God, the general Chaos was one of the best parts about that book, I love Fred'n'George, I developed quite a few new heroes in that book. The Twins, and Neville were just two er..three of them.

She dug her own hole with that decree. *snickers* That decree was like the 26th wasn't it? *snickers* But you know, she couldn't do anything about the chaos either, since it wasn't in her subject either. *smirks* She was breaking her own rules by trying to stop the chaos, she should have left it to Filch, since it is in his subject. *smirks* You know, cleaning up the school.

[spenceraloysius.livejournal.com]

Bizarrely, my main thought at the end of the book was, Snape is really a good guy underneath. Harry really should get over his unreasonable hatred. Bizzarely I say, because I don't read fanfic or slash.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Snape is one of my favorites because he's also one of the most complex characters in the book. He is a good guy, and he has good in him, but there's also bad as well. (What sort of an adult bullies kids? Belittles students under him?)

Harry has valid reasons to dislike him... but he'd be better off getting over them. And all this is the fuel for countless fics and slash. :)

[mallen.livejournal.com]

I'm so sick of Harry Potter, that I hope JK rowling is eaten wholesale by ducks.

Fuck. It's good thing there won't be another book for like years.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I had thought that a year ago, too... and then I read the books. Ask LAM! She watched me go through the process from frothing "shut the hell up about Harry Potter!" to the fangirl that I am.

You should try it, too! I bet within weeks of reading them that you'd start writing slash! ;)

[mallen.livejournal.com]

I read the first book "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone."

It was a good book. It did not and does not inspire the kind of rabid fandom that you exhibit.

I'm glad you enjoyed your book. Now please for the love of Grod, shut the hell up about it already.