more HP backlash

[mystril at yahoo.com]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C458
From: Mystril
Subject: Re: more HP backlash
Reply To: [Yahoo! #457] Re: more HP backlash
Date: 2/9/00 9:48 am  (ET)

I've read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Wizard of Earthsea,
the Harry Potter books borrows a couple of minor elements from each of
them. I think Wizard of Earthsea is more aimed at older kids, at least
teenagers. Even though the character is young, the books are very dark. I
read them in college.

I only like parts of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory because I stop
reading when he gets too nasty.

I read whatever children's fantasy I could find when I was a kid, some
of it was good, some of it was awful. Harry Potter is better than most
of the stuff that's out there, but it isn't as good as the best of it.

I agree that Harry Potter will eventually be considered a classic series
and all adults may not read it, but the ones that do pick it up will
appreciate it.

It seems that whenever something hits a certain level of popularity,
people come swarming out to say how horrible it is. It doesn't
happen as often with books as it does with films or television
shows or toys. Usually they are semi-accurate, but when writers start
criticizing their readers for reading kids books, it seems to be getting
ridiculous. If I were a regular reader of that author's column, I might
write a letter, saying that HP is more interesting than his columns and
I will henceforth stop reading his columns to devote more of my time to
children's literature. But I'm not, so I won't.