So last week, I read through the entire Harry Potter series. It took a lot longer than I was expecting. I knew they were fast reads, so I thought it would take a day and a half, maybe two. Nope. Four days. Forty-five hours of reading. By the end of it, I was tired of Harry Potter, tired of doing nothing but sitting and reading all day. The seventh book took me longer than it should have because I just didn't feel like reading about Harry Potter anymore.
When I finished Friday night, I was overjoyed to be done for about five minutes. And then I started missing it. I missed Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I missed Hogwarts. I missed the magical world. And now it's Tuesday morning, and I'm still missing it all. I still wish I could return to Hogwarts, and I'm almost willing to start this whole crazy marathon over again just to reenter that world.
When I finished Friday night, I was overjoyed to be done for about five minutes. And then I started missing it. I missed Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I missed Hogwarts. I missed the magical world. And now it's Tuesday morning, and I'm still missing it all. I still wish I could return to Hogwarts, and I'm almost willing to start this whole crazy marathon over again just to reenter that world.
The world of Harry Potter is addictive.
I also noticed just how well the characters age throughout the series. Harry starts out as an eleven-year-old who is unsure of himself and his place in this newly discovered world. By the end of the series, he is a supremely confident seventeen-year-old, yet he's still figuring out this whole romance thing. And despite the fact that Harry goes through things we will never experience, we still see ourselves in him and his friendships and his struggles. Even if we came to this series as an adult instead of a child, there are still characters and experiences to relate to.
We love the characters because we grew up alongside them.
Rowling is a master of comic relief. These books are funny. Serious, too, and occasionally terrifying. But there is always something funny to break the tension (Ron and Hermione's kiss in the middle of the battle of Hogwarts is a perfect example of this!). I found myself chuckling more than I expected to. The series as a whole is profound, but it's the comical moments and chapters that make it so enjoyable.
Comedy is an essential part of these books.
I could go on for a very long time about all the things that make Harry Potter amazing. (I haven't even touched on the immense amount of imagination it must have taken to build such a complex world!) But I want to hear your thoughts too - because I'm sure you have some. :)
What is your favorite part of the Harry Potter series? Have you reread them lately (or ever)? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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