I lovelovelove Lupin. Ahem. Oh, clear and rational analysis and discussion, you say? Right.
First Scabbers. Not so much an observation as a question, really. If Pettigrew lives as a rat, in the body of a rat, and he never returns to human form, should he not age as a rat, and be very weak and die soon?
Dunno. How long do rats live? Couldn't magical ratty pets be longlived?
I don't know. The reason I brought it up was that the man in the pet shop said something about the common garden rat and living 3 years or so.
The Twins: I love how Fred and George tried to shut Percy in a pyramid. And their mocking parody of him greeting Harry had me giggling out loud. But then they are perfectly subtle and tactful about cheering Harry up about the dementors and Malfoy at the feast. They become many-faceted, not just clowns or funny happy guys. They are actually able to deal sensibly with a younger kid being bullied. I am impressed.
The twins are really well written characters. I believe everything about them. That's one of Rowling's talents, I think, creating multi-faceted personalities to inhabit her books.
Indeed. Or, she suggests, creates the forms, and then allows us to fill in all the rest. It is an astonishing talent, and one many of my favourite authors possesses. I prefer that to people who paint their characters in great detail and attempt to control my understanding of them. I suspect this is the reason why Roh and I have had so many heated debates over the various Rowling characters -- we each imbued them with different traits. This is possible because they are not two-dimensional. You can put a lot of stuff in a box; it is more difficult to put anything in sheet of paper.
I like Mr and Mrs Weasley's discussion on whether to tell Harry. It is nice to see they love him. And how Mr Weasley would be willing to go back on his word to Fudge because he feels Harry needs to know what is going on. Of course, this reflects on Fudge again, feeling it is better to just keep everyone in the dark.
So lovely. Fudge is the perfect government man. It's kind of reassuring that even the Magical World has such useless leaders.
Reassuring? Really?
And Crookshanks is perfectly lovely. I don't see what Ron is on about. It sounds like the world's best cat. Although it isn't a cat, is it. It's a something else, the name of which escapes me.
Cats drool.
Not as much as dogs.
But Crookshanks is funny. Reminds me of Greebo.
That hadn't occurred to me, but you are right. At least partially. Less ... insane?
But LupinLupinLupin! Ah, one of my major literary crushes. And it is not just the fact that he offers free chocolate (always a plus). He is asleep, then, as soon as the dementors are there he protects the kids and then he offers them chocolate. Lovely. Perfect. He makes everything feel safe and good.
I bet he's pretty huggable as well.
I am sure he is. I have never quite forgiven Harry for not giving him a hug when he left.
Malfoy is his usual self. Clearly mocking Harry's reaction to the dementors to cover up his own fear of them. And then getting suitably punished for his disrespect by Buckbeak.
~nods~ Slimy little twerp. I do feel sorry for him, though. What with his father and all.
Yes. Still, that excuse only goes so far. He is getting to a point where it is getting a little worn.
Sir Cadogan is a little annoying. Or quite annoying. But he never reaches anywhere near the levels of annoyance reached in the last book.
~nods~
Trelawny. Is lovely in an annoying sort of way. I fully intend to start walking up to random strangers and say "You know that thing you are dreading? It will happen on [random date]". It is genius. And I really like how some of her "predictions" turn out to be real, but not in the way she interprets them. For example, the ``around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever''. And she does seem to have a good ability to read human nature, as when she identifies Neville as the one most likely to break a cup if prodded in the right way. She is a problematic character, though. Very morally grey in the way she abuses the credibility of students by making them think one of them is going to die, for example. And I wonder whether she got the twins mixed up when she told Parvati to beware of red-haired men, as her sister is the one who has a miserable time with Ron at the Yule Ball.
Trelawny is great. I like that Rowling remembers to have useless established teachers as well as the replacements the kids have suffered over the past two years. Makes Quirrell and Lockhart seem much less anomalous.
True.
And Emma Thompson was the perfect pick for Trelawney.
She was indeed. There has been some very good casting in the movies. Trelawny, Lockhart, Snape, McGonnagall, Mr & Mrs Weasley, the Twins, Wood, ...
Also: I've often wondered whether the teenage girl readers are supposed to think that the thing Lavender is dreading is her period. Might make young girls feel a bit better about the fact they're worried about it. I like to think of Rowling as being caring like that.
Huh. That never occurred to me.
McGonnagall, as usual, the voice of clear-cutting no-nonsense reason, knowing the perfect way to dispell Trelawny's mumbo-jumbo.
I had a teacher like McGonagall. She was wonderful. Strict but fair.
I am envious.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
28/07/2010 12:00:14 PM
- 2756 Views
Chapters 1-3. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:01:10 PM
- 938 Views
Characters.
28/07/2010 12:03:36 PM
- 1589 Views
Aunt Marge
28/07/2010 01:13:34 PM
- 1499 Views
She's an interesting combination of tropes, one might say...
28/07/2010 01:40:37 PM
- 1841 Views
Re: She's an interesting combination of tropes, one might say...
28/07/2010 02:15:24 PM
- 1663 Views
Stan Shunpike.
28/07/2010 02:01:46 PM
- 1647 Views
Re: Stan Shunpike.
28/07/2010 02:19:41 PM
- 1553 Views
True, I forgot Mundungus. And, arguably, Snape.
28/07/2010 02:46:38 PM
- 1521 Views
Re: True, I forgot Mundungus. And, arguably, Snape.
07/08/2010 02:53:43 PM
- 1748 Views
I think, maybe, it's comparing with other wizarding schools in the world.
08/08/2010 11:35:31 AM
- 1635 Views
Colin Creevey is working class.
28/07/2010 06:32:45 PM
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Correct me if I'm wrong
28/07/2010 06:38:20 PM
- 1490 Views
Themes, if we can discern any already this early in the book. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:04:47 PM
- 883 Views
First impressions on the news of Sirius Black's escape. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:05:26 PM
- 882 Views
Aaaah, Sirius.
28/07/2010 01:21:32 PM
- 1633 Views
Re: Aaaah, Sirius.
28/07/2010 01:44:50 PM
- 1624 Views
Re: Aaaah, Sirius.
28/07/2010 02:22:17 PM
- 1403 Views
Writing style.
28/07/2010 12:07:24 PM
- 1649 Views
It is a better book.
28/07/2010 02:00:54 PM
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Its much more mature writing style I think
28/07/2010 02:09:33 PM
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Re: Its much more mature writing style I think
28/07/2010 02:23:03 PM
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Foreshadowings, details that turn out to be important, etc. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:08:07 PM
- 819 Views
That is very well done in this book, I thought.
28/07/2010 02:08:21 PM
- 1467 Views
Dont foget the most important foreshadowing!
28/07/2010 02:15:35 PM
- 1426 Views
Chapters 4-6. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:11:45 PM
- 798 Views
Characters.
29/07/2010 10:23:28 AM
- 1479 Views
LupinLupinLupinLupinLupinLupin!
29/07/2010 11:48:55 AM
- 1587 Views
Hmmm I'm wondering...is Lupin one of your fav characters? *NM*
29/07/2010 02:36:20 PM
- 774 Views
Could be, could be.
29/07/2010 02:37:41 PM
- 1471 Views
Well it was subtle so I don't think many people will catch it *NM*
29/07/2010 02:41:38 PM
- 779 Views
He is so lovely.
03/08/2010 06:00:26 PM
- 1574 Views
Re: He is so lovely.
03/08/2010 06:10:34 PM
- 1518 Views
Is it premature to argue Harry's starting to get alienated from Ron and Hermione here?
30/07/2010 01:48:06 PM
- 1469 Views
Re: Is it premature to argue Harry's starting to get alienated from Ron and Hermione here?
08/08/2010 11:05:02 AM
- 1356 Views
Writing style.
29/07/2010 10:26:07 AM
- 1512 Views
"Plotting" might be a more interesting discussion point
29/07/2010 11:57:20 AM
- 1548 Views
Introduction of the Dementors. *NM*
29/07/2010 10:26:59 AM
- 788 Views
They are Rowling's most terrifying creation
29/07/2010 12:00:34 PM
- 1450 Views
Without his knowledge or consent of course *NM*
29/07/2010 02:31:47 PM
- 757 Views
Yes
29/07/2010 02:34:01 PM
- 1575 Views
I thinking something thats a little off topic
29/07/2010 02:40:36 PM
- 1420 Views
Re: I thinking something thats a little off topic
29/07/2010 02:42:09 PM
- 1409 Views
Ooo I didn't think of that! I like you. We can be friends
29/07/2010 02:47:31 PM
- 1406 Views
Re: "He's at Hogwarts."
04/08/2010 11:51:05 PM
- 1395 Views
I don't know the answer, but a good place to look would be... (book 4 spoilers)
05/08/2010 12:33:20 AM
- 1429 Views
Chapters 7-9. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:11:59 PM
- 923 Views
Characters.
30/07/2010 02:07:20 PM
- 1375 Views
Re: Characters.
30/07/2010 02:50:07 PM
- 1320 Views
Lupin vs. Snape
30/07/2010 06:10:07 PM
- 1403 Views
Re: Lupin vs. Snape
30/07/2010 06:12:06 PM
- 1487 Views
Other things you want to comment on. *NM*
30/07/2010 02:13:36 PM
- 794 Views
30/07/2010 02:51:13 PM
- 1405 Views
Good spell and great scene with the Bogart.
30/07/2010 06:19:16 PM
- 1437 Views
Chapters 10-12. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:12:18 PM
- 705 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
02/08/2010 12:50:56 PM
- 658 Views
Re: Plotting and writing.
02/08/2010 01:36:49 PM
- 1635 Views
I caught that too.
02/08/2010 02:50:03 PM
- 1313 Views
Re: I caught that too.
02/08/2010 02:53:48 PM
- 1443 Views
I suspect....
03/08/2010 03:17:32 PM
- 1584 Views
Other things - the Marauder's Map, background story on Sirius and the Potters,... *NM*
02/08/2010 12:52:30 PM
- 787 Views
The Marauder's Map seems to be able to do more on this first view than later on...
02/08/2010 01:23:19 PM
- 1528 Views
Re: The Marauder's Map seems to be able to do more on this first view than later on...
02/08/2010 01:40:47 PM
- 1449 Views
I think she did a good job of getting the map out of Harry's hands
02/08/2010 02:44:13 PM
- 1442 Views
Re: I think she did a good job of getting the map out of Harry's hands
02/08/2010 02:46:38 PM
- 1596 Views
It's not that the map was wrong - on the contrary (book 4 spoilers).
02/08/2010 02:47:55 PM
- 1355 Views
Re: It's not that the map was wrong - on the contrary (book 4 spoilers).
02/08/2010 02:57:55 PM
- 1503 Views
No, you and Aria seem to be right - only Harry himself is depicted in miniature.
02/08/2010 03:28:11 PM
- 1454 Views
Re: No, you and Aria seem to be right - only Harry himself is depicted in miniature.
02/08/2010 03:31:14 PM
- 1367 Views
Agree about the Twins and my take on Harry's impression of James.
02/08/2010 02:50:11 PM
- 1420 Views
Re: Other things - the Marauder's Map, background story on Sirius and the Potters,...
02/08/2010 01:36:56 PM
- 1362 Views
Chapters 13-15. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:12:57 PM
- 786 Views
Characters.
03/08/2010 05:25:47 PM
- 1411 Views
Re: Characters.
03/08/2010 05:29:32 PM
- 1517 Views
OK. I don't like how one-sided the Slytherins are.
08/08/2010 02:30:22 PM
- 1506 Views
Agreed.
08/08/2010 02:37:18 PM
- 1431 Views
Re: Agreed.
08/08/2010 02:45:30 PM
- 1423 Views
There are only three named girls in his year in Gryffindor, that I'm aware of.
08/08/2010 03:08:51 PM
- 1423 Views
Re: There are only three named girls in his year in Gryffindor, that I'm aware of.
08/08/2010 03:12:23 PM
- 1430 Views
But the Sorting Hat decides, and they can't refuse students that I'm aware of...
08/08/2010 03:06:53 PM
- 1616 Views
Re: But the Sorting Hat decides, and they can't refuse students that I'm aware of...
08/08/2010 03:10:28 PM
- 1440 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
03/08/2010 05:26:12 PM
- 757 Views
Crookshanks.
08/08/2010 02:22:36 PM
- 1436 Views
I knew I saw this somewhere.
09/08/2010 08:16:01 PM
- 1349 Views
Re: I knew I saw this somewhere.
09/08/2010 09:01:18 PM
- 1500 Views
Did they come out and explain Crookshanks?
11/08/2010 04:20:18 PM
- 1512 Views
Re: Did they come out and explain Crookshanks?
11/08/2010 04:21:37 PM
- 1334 Views
Thanks, thought I was loosing it... well, maybe I am, but I can still read.
11/08/2010 04:26:31 PM
- 1581 Views
The Quidditch Cup, and anything else you want to discuss. *NM*
03/08/2010 05:26:37 PM
- 786 Views
Re: The Quidditch Cup, and anything else you want to discuss.
03/08/2010 05:36:35 PM
- 1502 Views
I really enjoyed the first quidditch match.
03/08/2010 05:40:37 PM
- 1361 Views
Chapters 16-18. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:13:11 PM
- 803 Views
Characters.
04/08/2010 04:16:39 PM
- 1470 Views
Plotting and writing.
04/08/2010 04:18:52 PM
- 1340 Views
Other thoughts. *NM*
04/08/2010 04:19:15 PM
- 899 Views
Re: Other thoughts.
04/08/2010 05:19:45 PM
- 1367 Views
Re: Other thoughts.
08/08/2010 03:09:23 PM
- 1520 Views
Re: Other thoughts.
08/08/2010 03:11:43 PM
- 1467 Views
Chapters 19-20. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:13:27 PM
- 761 Views
Characters.
05/08/2010 02:40:22 PM
- 1248 Views
Re: Characters.
05/08/2010 02:45:53 PM
- 1717 Views
See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 03:04:24 PM
- 1791 Views
Re: See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 03:13:21 PM
- 1523 Views
Re: See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 03:54:31 PM
- 1899 Views
Re: See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 05:01:52 PM
- 1716 Views
Something I've only just realized about Snape... (massive book six and seven spoilers)
05/08/2010 02:53:15 PM
- 1517 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
05/08/2010 02:40:42 PM
- 651 Views
Re: Plotting and writing.
05/08/2010 02:48:02 PM
- 1597 Views
I think it's a good thing she explains her clues.
05/08/2010 03:09:59 PM
- 1455 Views
Other thoughts. *NM*
05/08/2010 02:41:01 PM
- 718 Views
killing
05/08/2010 02:48:33 PM
- 1340 Views
Chapters 21-22. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:13:42 PM
- 734 Views
Plotting and writing.
06/08/2010 05:04:14 PM
- 1265 Views
And everything else you noticed and want to comment on. *NM*
06/08/2010 05:04:46 PM
- 815 Views
Overall thoughts. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:14:03 PM
- 771 Views
Overarching plot and themes. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:18:27 PM
- 722 Views
How good a book is this - compared to the rest of the series, and compared to YA books in general? *NM*
28/07/2010 01:19:06 PM
- 782 Views
More of a question, really
01/08/2010 10:40:23 PM
- 1398 Views
I think this is situational and a sad commentary on his home life.
02/08/2010 03:01:49 PM
- 1239 Views
Well, but the question still remains
02/08/2010 03:04:01 PM
- 1354 Views
I suppose this is more or less the right place for this.
04/08/2010 11:59:45 PM
- 1470 Views
I had totally forgotten about that choir and the Ray Bradbury reference.
05/08/2010 12:37:09 AM
- 1306 Views
Okay, so possibly a Shakespeare reference also used by Bradbury. Whatever. *NM*
05/08/2010 12:37:56 AM
- 706 Views
Since I'm being scolded, I'll try to focus.
09/08/2010 06:46:26 PM
- 1322 Views
Re: Since I'm being scolded, I'll try to focus.
09/08/2010 07:16:37 PM
- 1536 Views
Suggestions for the re-read.
28/07/2010 06:14:49 PM
- 1523 Views
I knew I was gonna forget something.
28/07/2010 06:55:50 PM
- 1506 Views
Perhaps
29/07/2010 09:29:53 AM
- 1420 Views
I considered that, but it seemed overly non-trusting, and nobody has posted in them yet? *NM*
29/07/2010 10:12:23 AM
- 618 Views
<Tattoos "Poor Impulse Control" on your forehead>
29/07/2010 11:00:07 AM
- 1509 Views
I think a little break might be a good idea. Give people a chance to catch up.
02/08/2010 11:46:13 PM
- 1447 Views
Re: I think a little break might be a good idea. Give people a chance to catch up.
02/08/2010 11:59:20 PM
- 1414 Views
I think I should make clear, just in case, that I don't mean immediately.
03/08/2010 05:11:26 PM
- 1365 Views
Yes
03/08/2010 05:13:10 PM
- 1381 Views