OOP: First random thoughts

[Neil Ward]

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I finished the book about two hours ago, so this ramble will be more a
collection of random thoughts than a review.  Actually, it sounds a bit
grumpy now I've read it back...

Overall, I felt the book was too long, nice as it was to see new characters
and locations beyond a mention and have time for development of existing
characters.  I think the people around JKR let her do exactly what she wants
on the basis that her words are like gold dust, instead of advising her to
edit.

I wouldnt say the book was boring, but there were no dramatic highs and
lows; it trundled along and it was more about a steady increase of pressure
on Harry, as event after event sought to crush his will.  I liked the way
his anger and frustration developed and how he interacted with those around
him.  I think a second read may bring other things to the fore.

I think Dolores Umbridge is a brilliant character [nice play on words with
umbrage].  As soon as her plans became clear though, it was obvious that
Harry would face setbacks at every turn and that Dolores would get her
come-uppance (classic 'villain heading for a fall' stuff).  It was admirable
that the hate relationship between Harry and Snape was maintained in the
face of one-hit villain Umbridge and Snapes involvement in the OoP.

I loved the House of Black, Mrs Black, Phineas Nigellus, Kreachers
mutterings and the address Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place (Im fairly sure
there is no such place).  Was it really necessary though, in such a long
book, to resort to using a family tree tapestry to explain
interrelationships between half the characters?  Hardly a stone left
unturned there, despite being useful to know that nearly all the pure blood
families inter-married.

Having warmed to the Blacks, I found myself largely unaffected by the death
of Sirius Black.  I hadnt made much emotional connection with that
character, but, imo, his death was not handled to best dramatic effect.  He
died in the middle of a frenzied battle, by which point several other
characters had already been touted as "the one who'll die and make you
cry"  Hermione, out cold with barely a pulse; Ron attacked by a flying
brain (oh, please...); the elderly McGonagall, zapped in the chest and lying
in St Mungos, etc, etc.  Suddenly, with spellfire all around, Sirius is hit
and staggers through a curtain.  Huh?  Okay, well that was majorly dramatic.

I was glad we heard more from Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, particularly
through the D.A. storyline, which made up for the dullness of the homework
and revision mentions every five minutes.  It was interesting that Ravenclaw
Luna Lovegood was added to the expanded Gryffindor team of Harry, Ron,
Hermione, Ginny and Neville (henceforth known as "the sexumvirate"), but
struck me as unlikely that they could have reached Year Five and not
encountered such an eccentric before (okay, at least not have *mentioned*
her before).  I think she's here to stay.

Ill echo what some others have said: why introduce a plethora of additional
characters, and waste time on scenes with characters such as Lockhart, when
poor old Vector and Sinistra still had nothing more than a stroll along the
corridors, not to mention the minimal page time given to the fleshing out of
some major characters?  I really liked the new characters, but the books
can't just keep getting bigger as JKR stuffs more and more people into them,
can they?  Maybe I'm being overly critical here - she is just expanding her
world.

Hagrid could easily have been killed to save us from another pointless
sub-plot in Book Six.  I thought the giants were going to play a big role in
this book but other than being introduced, they served no purpose.
Unfortunately, 20ft tall beings that cant speak English dont lend
themselves to complex plot development.

So, Trelawney and Firenze are going to jobshare in future years?  I get the
feeling that JKR is trying to find things for every character to do and that
the only way to do this is to (a) have several people serving the same
purpose and rotate them or (b) create gangs of previously-mentioned
characters (OoP, D.A. Death Eaters etc.).  At some point, shell have to
choose to have (c) lots of characters killed in a freak accident.

Voldemort:  Doesnt get out much, does he?

The Order of the Phoenix gives us a potentially cohesive group of wizarding
adults to pit against the Death Eaters, but they came across as a strange
bunch of misfits.  Even Tonks, who appeared out of nowhere, was given the
somewhat pointless trait of being clumsy.  Also, can I just complain that
the word metamorphmagus sounds very awkward.

It was fun and informative seeing inside the Ministry of Magic and St Mungo
s, especially hearing the descriptions of all the different departments - I
loved all that.  Mind you, as soon as St Mungos had been mentioned, it
seemed that someone was being carted off to one of its thousands of beds on
every other page.  It's obviously not part of the NHS.

There were no major surprises to me when 'mysteries' were unravelled.  I was
left thinking that Dumbledores reasons for keeping Harry in the dark were
pretty, well, dumb.  He didnt tell him because he cared about him?
Motherly love was the powerful thing that protected Harry against Voldemort,
but 'grandfatherly' love prevented Dumbledore from telling him the truth,
thus leaving him exposed to act in the dark and get trapped?

It hadnt occurred to me that Petunias specific blood connection (as
opposed to just family ties) to Lily was the key to Privet Drive being safe.
However, this would perhaps mean that if Harry and Dudley were to get a
bachelor pad together hed still be protected.  Stand by for redeemed
Dudley...

Snapes hatred of Harry seemed to be simply because James bullied him.
However, we only saw one of three thoughts Snape put into the Pensieve and
that was just an example of taunting (of which there were presumably many).
Snape: if that's all it is - get over it!

So, Neville could have been the boy who would ultimately vanquish Voldemort?
I was thinking that in choosing Harry and marking him Voldemort may have
assigned that role to him rather than doing it because it was predestined.
Of course, supposedly the reason Harry was marked and not dead was that Lily
s love protected him; Neville would have died in similar circumstances...
or would he?

Others have noted this, but there seemed to be many statements of people
full names, either in courtrooms, on tapestries or in letters and decrees.
This, and the naming of all the departments at the MoM and St Mungos,
seemed to me to put paid to speculation and invention by fans.  I definitely
agree that JKR tried to respond to fandom comments with some of these
things.

The Room of Requirement: I liked the idea, but it was another one of those
things that seemed to have been a secret rather too well kept over the last
four books (I'm not sure the tie in with the chamberpots was planned when
she wrote that).  The name is a bit dull, but that seems rather petty to
mention.

I have some comments on shipping, believe it or not, but I'll save those for
another message!

Neil

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Flying Ford Anglia