Reading by JK Rowling at Radio City - Spoilers Within

[Ken Hutchinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 156434

>
> Ken:
> 
> She has left far too many plot lines unresolved
> and no clear clues to how most of them will resolve in her desire to
> satisfy our supposed love of being tricked. She painted herself into
> this corner. I'm surprised she didn't see it coming.
> 
> Lynda:
> 
> Has she really?  As you mention a few times, the series isn't over
yet and I
> for one don't require every single plot line to be resolved.  A little
> leftover mystery can be a good thing.

Ken:

I understand your sentiment. In fact I think you could make a strong
case for not writing the 7th book. The series could stand quite well
at 6 books as it is written and certainly could with a *few* changes
to HBP. That would intensely dissatisfy many readers but a few of us
would see it as bold way to end the story. However we all know she is
going to write the 7th book unless something tragic happens. Knowing
that I do feel that she has left rather a lot on her plate to clean up
in book 7. Not writing book 7 would be one thing, leaving a lot
unresolved in book 7 would be quite another. In any event the author
herself has said she now sees how much needs to be resolved in the 7th
book so I feel I stand on firm ground when I agree with her ;-)


> 
> Ken:
> 
> As for shippers: I've read a comment from her somewhere that she can't
> believe folks are still shipping Harry/Hermione after HBP. Well excuse
> me but do high school romances always become life long relationships?
> 
> Lynda:
> 
> But she never gave any indication of a H/H ship.  Not in the books
and  not
> in any interviews I've heard her give.  I'm not a great one for reading
> online transcripts of interviews, but from email posted comments I
have read
> that refer to them, nothing there either.  Of course, H/H may be the
only
> two survivors on planet earth after 7, and in that case I suppose a
ship is
> somewhat inevitable to secure the survival of the species...
> 

And Susan:

>Uh, Ken, perhaps Ms. Rowling believes that she is the author of the
Harry Potter series and knows what is going to happen. Perhaps she
believes that she has been clear that Harry and Hermione will NOT
become involved (despite the passionate wishes of a few fans) and
that Ron and Hermione are attracted to each other... Perhaps as the
author, she KNOWS....

We now know that Professor Dumbledore is really dead. We also know
that Harry and Hermione will not become involved.
> 
>

I have two points and perhaps I made neither of them clear. I would
not say there is *no* sign of a H/H ship. There seemed to be a period
where this was in doubt though leaning towards H/R with fair
consistency. There is a true depth of feeling and friendship between
H/H that could blossom into a life long romance. I throw down the
gauntlet and defy anyone to say otherwise! 

The second is that, yes, I know that the author knows the conclusion.
But she ridicules (I've seen the direct quotes from her) those who
persist in shipping H/H. She has been quite plain about the direction
things are *heading*. Only *she* knows which ships reach their
intended ports and which are lost at sea or diverted. A lot could
happen in the 7th book and if Ron and Ginny were to both die H&H are
going to have to fall back on alternate plan B aren't they? It is not
*stupid* to feel that H/H could still happen, even though both have
other options, approximately 3 billion apiece that we have not even
met yet. When she ridicules H/H shipping she is inadvertantly
revealing her intentions and calling others fools while she does so.
It is a quite human failing to trip up and reveal a secret. That is
why they are so beastly hard to keep. I would, however, expect this
author to be able to see the shipping news from the point of view of
the readers who lack her foreknowledge of the conclusion and to have
the good grace to refrain from mocking them.

The third thing ("The *three* most fearsome weapons of the
Spanish...") is that she is still killing off people she did not plan
to kill. At some level then even *she* does not know if H/R is a
certainty and perhaps she should have a little more humility about
that, eh?

Ken who isn't a shipper but who will defend their intelligence