There are no spoilers in this post.
I’d been trying to stay away from the Internet so I could discover the ending of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” on my own. I even plugged my ears whenever the kids would bring up the latest rumors from the Web.
But after all of the reports of the photos of the actual pages of the actual book, I could feel my fingers tingling whenever I went online to check my e-mail.
Then the New York Times came out with a review of “Deathly Hallows” after a New York bookstore put it on sale prematurely. The Baltimore Sun got an early look, too.
I knew they wouldn’t divulge the ending, so I read them, and they piqued my interest.
And then I couldn’t help myself. It was like I was under the Imperious Curse.
I googled, and even as I told myself I didn’t want to know, I looked. In an instant, before I could decide to look away, I knew who died and who hooked up.
I had all kinds of conflicting emotions, but in the end, I’m glad the wait is over, and I wouldn’t do it differently even if I had a Time Turner. Now I can really read the book, instead of racing through it, and enjoy the way Rowling weaves it all together. (And I don’t pretend to think I wouldn’t have turned to the back of the book anyway.)
What about you and your kids? Have you looked online or are you savoring discovering the ending on your own?
Responses to “I admit it: I’m weak when it comes to HP”
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I finished the book last night, and even though I knew how it ended, the getting there was just as good.
I was thinking that the next generation of Potter readers will likely know how it all turns out before they set foot on Privet Drive for the first time.
Do you think the series will hold as much allure now that it’s all laid out?
July 25th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Jeni,
I wasn’t thinking about the next generation of readers, now that you mention it. But, I think the series will hold up. A woman at my office had never read the books, but went to the movie (#5) this weekend with some friends. She was a little lost, so her friend loaned her the 1st movie to watch, and she really enjoyed that, so now she’s going to read the books.
Even though my husband and I are in our 40s with no kids currently, we both have enjoyed reading this series (we’re actually fighting over the last book - I read until I fall asleep, then he reads it for awhile.) When I do have kids (2 adopted boys from Russia are on the way), and once they learn to read, I plan to get them started on the Potter books, even though the final movie will most likely be out before they get that far into the books.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:08 am
I’m going to discover the ending on my own. That’s part of the enjoyment of the book, and knowing the ending would reduce the suspense. I want to get lost in the book. If I know what’s coming, then my imagination doesn’t get as much of a workout!