Hatrack River Writers Workshop: the main question

This is topic the main question in forum Discussing Published Hooks & Books at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :

The discussions here of the Harry Potter books fall in line with something that is extremely writerly: second-guessing other writers.

I submit that all writers should exercise their second-guessing abilities as often as possible because that will help them in their own plot and character development skills.

I also submit that the main question with regard to the last Harry Potter book is not who will die. Nor is it whether or not Harry will survive.

The main question is whether or not J. K. Rowling makes the story WORK.

Or, in other words, whether or not readers of Harry Potter 7 throw the book across the room when they have finished reading it.

This topic is to discuss the book once you have read it, but not to discuss the details (aka spoilers). It is to discuss whether you feel that J. K. Rowling succeeded in her story telling.

Did the seventh book work for you, no matter who died and who survived?

PLEASE! do not post any spoilers. You're writers, aren't you? You should be able to say whether the book worked without saying what happened.

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

There is a forum here called "Discussing Published Hooks and Books." We could take all the Harry Potter stuff there...

Posted by Rick Norwood (Member # 5604) on :

I started reading the book six hours ago, and am just coming up for air. I'd say, yes, the writing works. I do notice it breaking rules all the time, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to know what happens next.

Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :

Just finished after a marathon session. The writing works--you definitely feel like you're coming up for air when you put it down. It's a true "gripping page-turner" in a way that none of the other books are. She maybe could have laid more groundwork for some of the new elements that arise during the story, but there isn't any deus ex machina, and I think it's a very successful end to the series. She fulfills all of the promises--explicit and subtle--she made in the previous books, concludes the conflict, and doesn't leave any egregious loose ends.

Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :

YES!

She did it. It works!

(For this reader, anyway.)

And good point, Robert.

I'll move this to the correct discussion area. (Which means that this topic will close here, so I hope people will follow it and respond to it there.)

Okay, it's here now. I'm looking forward to others' "votes."

[This message has been edited by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (edited July 21, 2007).]

Posted by autumnmuse (Member # 2136) on :

Since book 3, my hubbie and I have bought each new book on the day of release. We actually bought two copies of book 5 because neither of us could bear to be the second to read it. We justified the extra purchase by giving one copy as a gift to my sister.

This time, we flat out don't have the moolah. It's frustrating. I'm going to go out of my way to avoid hearing about it until I can get my own copy.

Part of the way I'm coping with not being able to read it yet is in not re-reading the last few yet either. I always do that to make them fresh in my mind before the new one, and this time I haven't. I actually don't recall that much of the specifics of book 6, and need to read it before 7 anyway, so hopefully I'll be able to contain my frustration till payday.

Posted by wrenbird (Member # 3245) on :

I think Rowling ABSOLUTELY suceeded. It is such an impressive accomplishment if you think about it.
Very few books have been so picked apart, analyzed, and anticipated by the masses. Everyone, from your seven year old neighbor to the grocery checker at Walmart, had a theory on and were looking forward to this book.
Knowing this, there was time a while back when I honestly doubted that Rowling would finish the series because of all the hype.
But she did finish, thank goodness. And she ended it perfectly. At the risk of sounding overly gushy, I think she has truly triumphed.

Posted by kings_falcon (Member # 3261) on :

Mostly.

There were a few places for me where the story didn't work. The "As you know Bob. . " type of activity which occurred to get Harry and the reader up to date on things they wouldn't otherwise know didn't sit right with me. Even after re-reading these sections, they still bother me.

But, that being said, I did finish the book by noon on Sat. So it apparently didn't bother me too much.

Posted by wrenbird (Member # 3245) on :

kings_falcon,
I am not familiar with the "As you know Bob. . ." tactic. What is it? Which parts in the book use it?

(BTW I posted yesterday FRESH off finishing the book and I was a bit euphoric. I am now ready to dig in an really analyze.)

Posted by kings_falcon (Member # 3261) on :

"as you know Bob. . . "

Is a convention where the author has two characters discussing what they know and would truely not speak about or having one character educate another one in order to get the information to the readers.

There are at least two scenes towards the end of the book that I can't mention more specifically because this is a spoiler free thread that probably aren't technically "As you know, Bob . ." scenes. But they left me with the same feeling. They were too contrived and were only there to have something explained to me, the reader, and not the character.