Harry Potter: a great representation of our time?

[Wanda Sherratt]

No: HPFGUIDX 77186

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ellejir" <eberte at v...> wrote:
> Me:
> I disagree.  To my mind, the HP series is in a class by itself--
> particularly if one is viewing it as "children's literature".  It 
is 
> easily as well-written as the LOTR and the Narnia series (at least 
50 
> year "classics", I would argue.)  The best parts of the series are 
as 
> cleverly written as parts of Jane Austin's work.

I have to disagree. There is no way JKR can remotely come close to 
the power of writers like Tolkien and Austen, nor is she anywhere 
near as literate as Lewis.  "Warm flat beer" is not too bad as a 
description; I enjoy a lot of things about the HP books (the first 4 
especially), the tricky plotting, the red herrings, the clever 
windup tying all the loose ends together, the energy, the humour.  
But literary style would come somewhere near the bottom of the 
list.  She's like Agatha Christie - a great read, but not a literary 
master craftsman.

  I think that the 
> series will be popular 50 years from now.

I think it depends on how well she finishes the series.  Another 
volume like OotP would finish off a lot of the enthusiasm for HP.  
But a good conclusion would probably establish it as a mid-
level "classic".

Wanda