After a marathon read from last night and this morning, I finished PoA. Growing up, this was my least favorite Harry Potter book. (Though I still love them all.) Thinking back, I assume it was because there was no confrontation with Voldemort in this one. But after this reread, I'm just left in awe of JKR's skills. This book is a masterpiece. It is delicately woven with details that are relevant to the plot of the entire series as a whole. I'd always considered Cedric's death in GoF to be the turning point of the series, and I still consider that to be mostly true. But that moment that Harry decided to let Wormtail live is a defining moment for his character. His mercy and compassion end up saving him, and others, multiple times through the series.
I also loved this foreshadowing that JKR put in. "'But trust me... the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life.' [Dumbledore] Harry couldn't imagine when that would be."Oh Harry, little do you know, in less than four years, you will be very grateful for this because it allows you to save your friends, escape, steal the Elder Wand, and live.
So, while GoF might be the turning point of the series, PoA is the last few feet of that upward climb. Without the plot and characterization of PoA, the series might have gone a completely different direction. While it still isn't my absolute favorite HP book, I can admire the intricate details that JKR put into it and her dedication to producing a tightly-woven plot that spans across over 4000 pages. Now, on to GoF and the longer books!
Pages read: 1085/4195
Time read: 8 hr 18 min 36 sec
Thursday, August 11, 2011
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