Are we having fun?

[ellejir]

No: HPFGUIDX 80589

Wanda wrote:

> <snip> Are WE having fun anymore? Speaking for myself, I have to
> say no.  For me, the fun died on June 21, when OotP was released.
> And so much of the discussion of that  book, and speculation of
> what it will lead to, make me think that very few readers are
> having fun anymore.  Instead, I read worries and foreboding about
> how much horror Harry is going to have to endure until we finally
> make it to the end of book 7.  Nobody seems to expect anything but
> anguish and pain, with maybe a happy ending, but very possibly just
> a merciful release to look forward to. <snip>

Elle (me):
I do not think that your view of OoP and the direction that the HP 
series is heading is universally held.  A fair number of people 
enjoyed reading OoP (myself included) and some people on the list 
have stated that it is their *favorite* book in the series. The 
things that you hate about OoP are the very things that may make it 
more interesting to another reader (i.e. the darker tone and Harry's 
more fragile emotional state.)  IMHO, the first two books in the 
series seem relatively spare and child-like (*yikes*! did I say 
that??!) when compared to the last three, GoF and OoP especially. I 
really enjoyed reading OoP and expect to enjoy the last two books as 
well. No matter how much "horror" Harry has to endure, I am sure that 
JKR will handle it with imagination and wit.  So, in answer to your 
question Wanda, *yes* I am still having fun with the series.

Elle  (who reserves the right to change her mind about the above 
statement if JKR kills off either Harry or Hermione)