In 1999 one of my students came up to me and uttered the fateful words, "I think you should read this book Miss Stewart." The same week, one of my best book-recommending friends said essentially the same thing. And thus Harry, Ron and Hermoine entered into my life. The best part for me is the plot twists. I've read so much that I can usually detect even the slightest hint of foreshadowing and predict what will happen, but Rowling has "gotten" me several times over.
Awaiting Amazon to deliever my copy of Book 7 had me slightly panicked. I think that it is EVIL to tell someone the end of a book, and I was terrified someone was going to blurt something out and ruin 9 years of waiting! I avoided the media and public places, but had to make copies the night before. The girls there were talking LOUDLY about how they knew the ending and just wanted to tell it to people because they were being so ridiculous. I almost walked out of the store, but settled for humming very loudly to myself to block out their voices.
I spent the evening and next morning reading on-line plot summaries (I'd listened to No. 3 again--my favorite) and reading the last part of No.6 in preparation. When I went to mail my bills, I saw the mailman at our boxes and my breath caught in my throat. Nothing was in my box, so I went up and asked him, "Have you done this side yet?" He hadn't and I just stood there, deciding whether it would be ridiculous to wait. Finally he asked me, with an understanding smile, if I was waiting for something in particular. I blurted out, "Yes, my Harry Potter book!"
Like Santa in his sleigh, he rummaged through his many white boxes and drew one out with my name on it. He said he had to wait until he got home to read his, and I nodded sympathetically and clutched my book even closer as I walked away. I then proceeded to ignore anything I could (I had to teach Sunday School and RS the next day--poor planning!) and stayed up late into the night devouring the story.
I did actually guess one of the main twists (I've had six books to catch on to her style) but did enjoy it throughly and want to read again, slower this time, and enjoy it without feeling the desperate, "Hurry up, before someone spills the beans!"
And thus the end of a book era!
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3 comments:
Yay! What a fun feeling! Rob and I finished it yesterday and loved it. End of an era, indeed. Sniff.
This is totally unrelated to Harry Potter but I thought of you the other day when I saw a preview for the movie about Jane Austen's love story. I wish we lived closer so I could join you in a girls' night at the movies. I think I'll have to organize a little one of my own just because it would be fun. And what do you know it's rated PG. I'm excited to read the book too but kind of don't want to start it because it's the beginning of the end. Although we'll the movies will be coming out for a few years to come.
I wish you lived closer too, Holly. I need to come and visit you again!
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