Thursday 19 July 2007

Booking Through Thursday

This weeks booking through Thursday is Harry Potter related. I suppose it makes sense but had I thought about it I would have left the last post until now. Not to worry, I'll answer them anyway;

Booking Through Thursday
Okay, love him or loathe him, you’d have to live under a rock not to know that J.K. Rowling’s final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, comes out on Saturday… Are you going to read it?
If so, right away? Or just, you know, eventually, when you get around to it? Are you attending any of the midnight parties?
If you’re not going to read it, why not?
And, for the record… what do you think? Will Harry survive the series? What are you most looking forward to?

The first few questions you already know the answer to. Yes, I will be reading the book. I am too nosey not to read it. I want to know how it all ends and reading about it on the net isn't good enough for me. That and I have enjoyed them for the most part anyway. I will be attending one of the midnight parties although it will be for work. I probably wouldn't if it wasn't for that. Before I worked where I do now I didn't attend any although I did buy the books. Lastly no I don't think Harry will survive. JK Rowling has dropped so many hints that she has ended the books in such away that she won't be able to continue the story after book seven. If any of the other characters were to be killed off the story could possibly go on. Even if Voldermort were to die Harry could still have other adventures and face more foes. Mind you another way to kill off the story would be if Harry lost his abilities. There are a few people I know who are so sick of Harry Potter that they are hoping he will be killed off.

Basically I am most looking forward to seeing how it ends. I am looking forward to seeing if some of the things I thought might happen after reading book 6 will happen. I am also hoping that once the Harry Potter mania has settled down that other new children's authors can get some of the lime light. It would be nice to see authors who deserve it getting some attention too. I don't that there will be anything like that again though in terms of media coverage and parties on release night. Still it would be nice to see other authors getting almost as much attention.

Cheeser, I think it's the details that children love most about these books. All the little things like the moving pictures, the jumping chocolate frogs and the wizarding sport of quiditch.

Timewarden, I can see Asda's point about the price of the book being expensive for children. However, most places won't sell it at that price. They will have it on some kind of promotion. I don't believe that the supermarket is really concerned about that though. They are planning on selling the book at almost half price. Their discount from the publisher will not be as high as that. Therefore they are going to take a loss by selling the book. They can probably afford to do this but I am sure they would rather make a profit from it. I think that's where the criticism came from. Still it's almost like biting the hand that feeds you. Bloomsbury can afford to refuse to distribute to a retailer. People aren't going to stop buying the book just because Asda doesn't have it. They'll go else where.

My favourite children's authors growing up were Judith Kerr, Shirley Hughes, Dorothy Edwards, Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl. I've read a larger selection of kids books now than I did then.

3 comments:

TimeWarden said...

It's unlikely I will read it, Karen, because I would have to read the other six first! I haven't seen any of the movies, either, despite liking several of the actors in them. I've enjoyed Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman and Michael Gambon in other things, for example.

I hope you enjoy your midnight party, though, even if it is just for work and look forward to hearing how it goes. Are you dressing up as one of the characters? If so, which one?

Kim said...

I'm reading it! I've got my copy ordered and it will be delivered tomorrow. And I can't wait.

I don't think Harry will die, but I do think other major characters will. There's not one particular thing I'm looking forward to in the book, just curious. I definately want to know what is up with Snape.

And it's cheesy I know, but I hope we get to find out what happens to the people who live.

Leeland said...

Well, I'd never thought that HP would die in the end, though I guess your analysis sounds very clever. This is a frightening thought but I will hold on until it's in French, and avoid every related post as much as possible...
The mere thought that HP could die might even prevent mme from reading it so I could keep it all the way it was... I know, this is stupid but I really like that guy... And you know, my son looks like him (many people have told me so) except that the scar is under his nose... I guess that doesn't help...