PS/SS vs. CoS: It's A Tie!

[alice_loves_cats]

No: HPFGUIDX 57505

Cindy wrote:

> I'm a PoA fan, myself, but I was wondering what it is that causes 
> people to choose PS/SS over CoS or vice versa.  And, uh, what is it 
> that makes either of those two more enjoyable than PoA?
> 
> Opinions?

Alice writes:

I myself was astonished when I began my internet-harrying that CoS
seemed to be the least-loved book of the four. It is my absolute
favourite.

Book One was interesting, I liked it pretty well, but CoS?! I was
amazed, riveted. I loved every moment of it (excepting Nearly Headless
Nick's Deathday Party, I could never warm to that for some reason),
and some moments even more. 

When Harry has all those things on his mind, Dumbledore asks him if
there's anything wrong, and he says... No. That's Harry for you.
That's when I first thought: this little guy has his very own, complex
character. That's when all my thoughts of cliche-children's-story
ended. I FELT what he felt and that's always the beginning. Until then
he was "the hero". From then on, he was Harry in his own right.

Someone has recently pointed out several gaping plot holes on the
movie list, about _the book_. Reading them, I must say I agree they
exist. But I actually never thought of them until mentioned. I found
the plot just about as surprising as it could ever be, and for that, I
loved it (also, during my first read, I wasn't scrutinising the plot
as we are here... the first read is always pure enjoyment, but that
enjoyment has not faded with the umpteenth read either). The twist at
the end was something that left me gaping. PoA was nothing of the sort
- by that time the supposed bad guy not being the actual bad guy was
nothing new to the series.

Then of course there are characters like Lockhart, unbeatable. But
mainly, my reasons are: the plot-twist, and Harry's character.

Love, Alice
---should be studying political sciences at the moment