Wanted: Honest opinions on Harry Potter

Mud Dauber · Jan 6, 2007

I've read the other post (about the title for book 7) in its entirety and I figured I could turn to all you Harry Potter buffs for an honest answer. I just started reading HP to my 9 year old, and she is loving it. Me... not so much. I don't get what the big deal is... yet (I'm hopeful).

:flag:

*Before you start throwing things at me, let me explain*

I'll start off with the disclaimer that it absolutely thrills me, seeing my kid SO excited over a book ("Please, Mom, can we read more tonight? Please....?" :Thumbs:

) so for that, I think Rowling is amazing. But I find her writing style rather choppy and kind of boring. Maybe it's b/c I'm reading it out loud, and I feel like I really have to work at it... but I think there is an overload of details thrown at the reader right from the beginning and the way she explains things is... well... confusing is the only word I can think of. Her sentence structure seems cluttered and awkward to read. Realize that I'm perfectly capable of comprehending what I've read, but if my daughter read this on her own, TONS of information would go over her head. I know this b/c I've had to stop and explain a lot of things as we make our way through the story. And my kid is smart. Anyhow, it just got me to thinking... Harry Potter is listed on Amazon for ages 9-12, but I wonder--is Rowling really writing this for an audience of readers as young as 9 years old?! Or, as she furthered the series and became aware that a huge percentage of her audience is adults, did she change her tune and gear things towards older kids and adults?

Also, I've heard so much about the series turning darker (we're only halfway through the Scorcerer's Stone, which seems innocent enough) and now after the speculation of Harry being killed off in the last book... I can't say that I want to invest all this time with my daughter, whose life experience is innocent, if, in the end, the main character we're rooting for gets killed off. It hardly seems worth it.

So for parents who've read it, and/or for adults who can put your Young Innocent Kid Cap on for a moment... I'd appreciate any and all thoughts on this.

Sorry about my own confusing post. My main question is: Do you think the entire series is suitable for a 9 year old?

Thanks

Zolah · Jan 6, 2007

Mud Dauber said:
My main question is: Do you think the entire series is suitable for a 9 year old?

Thanks

Let your nine year old decide! If she goes off the books as they get darker, then you don't have to read anymore, but you ought to give her the chance to make up her own mind.

johnzakour · Jan 6, 2007

Wow, long post to ask, "Is Harry Potter suitable for a 9 year old?"

Shorter answer: depends on the 9 year old. My son started reading the series at 10 and likes it a lot. He says the later books are more violent and not as well suited to the younger crowsd.

(I've only read the first, as while the books are well written they are too long for my limited attention span.)

Diviner · Jan 6, 2007

Our ten-year-old started with Harry Potter at seven. It literally turned him on to reading for pleasure. He has read most of the books three or four times and has widened his reading to Star Wars, Paolina's books and many others, mostly fantasy. Rowling's prose may be awkward, her stories dark, but she has done him a service. I am thrilled to see him such a reader and expect that Rowling performs the same purpose for him that reading fairytales once did for me, entertaining me as it turned me on to reading.

Bartholomew · Jan 6, 2007

Harry Potter is quite suitable for nine-year-olds.

The books deal with subjects that all young children must eventually come to grips with, in very classy and educational ways.

Rowling's prose is a great example of good writing, and of how to mix Showing with Telling.

katiemac · Jan 6, 2007

I'm actually pretty torn on the response for this one. I absolutely adore the books, but I started reading them in high school. I'll be finished with my junior year in college when the final one comes out this summer.

Personal taste, here, but I think the books truly pick up steam around the third and fourth novels. Sorcerer's Stone, you're correct, is fairly mild. So is the second, Chamber of Secrets, although I'll admit there were a couple themes in there that are overall dark. By the end of the fourth book (when Harry himself is 14), sh*t hits the fan. The Sorcerer Stone days are truly over, and even though the stories still have light themes, it's pretty intense from there on out.

In all honesty, I'd read the books on your own beforehand. I'm all for uncensorship, but these books were originally released years apart. Meaning, as Harry ages so do the kids who read them. I don't know about having a 9-year-old read them all in one lumped spread. I know adults and students alike who cried their eyes out following the last book's release where a major character dies (the second major character death, the third "shocking" death overall). When this last book is out, Harry will be 17. That seems like, to me, a large age difference from your 9-year-old. However, there are kids out there perfectly equipped, at 9, to handle the themes Harry Potter does. I don't know your child, so that should make all the difference.

Memnon624 · Jan 6, 2007

Hmmm . . . when I was 9 or 10, I was busy filching my brother's copies of Robert E. Howard's Conan (the Ace Books editions with the lurid Frank Frazetta covers). Harry Potter would have been a walk in the park

Scott (who seems to have turned out okay)

badducky · Jan 6, 2007

compared to most of the YA stuff I was reading when I was a kid, Harry Potter is light and bright and cheerful.

"The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander is very, very dark with zombies and suicide. And, it's a classic worth reading.

Edit: also, the Conan mention is apt. I was filching Robert Jordan novels and Mr. Jordan never misses a chance to strip the women naked and kill someone. I didn't turn out alright, though.

katiemac · Jan 6, 2007

I wanted to add from my previous post:

Each book does contain more light-hearted adventure material than not, but those darker themes are definitely present. And I do think the kids who read them have a lot to learn from the books: dealing with prejudice, growing confidence, heroics, moral choices, etc. I read an article a long while ago that compared Harry to the hero's journey and the heroes in countless Brothers' Grimm fairy tales (which, let's face it, can be pretty dark).

The basic conclusion from the article is that the majority of kids today, where they used to learn about the world from other fairy tales and stories, are now learning from Harry Potter. He, and other characters, are great idols for kids.

Like I said above, I think my one setback is having your 9-year-old read them all at once instead of "aging" with the books. I'd think by the time she was 12 she'd be better off with the series as a whole.

Then again, I have no kids!

Jamesaritchie · Jan 6, 2007

Potter

I think the Potter books are very well-written, and I find it wonderful that her sentences read teh way they do. They don't confuse me at all, and don't confuse any of the kids I know who love them.

I would have Hated it if Rowling had usd a bunch of Dick and Jane sentences to tell such a complex story. I think it's her great use of language, and more complex sentences, that make the books great reads for kids and adults.

Kids read better, and understand more, than we give them credit for.

As for being suitable for nine year olds, Lord, yes, they all are, and I've seen kids younger than nine read them.

And I love the detail in the books. I know some readers freak everytime a writer puts in one extra detail, but I love descriptive writing, and so, apparently, do kids.

As for changing teh writing an dthe tone, Harry Potter is growing up. Rowling couldn;t keep writing a sif he never aged. I think he's around seventeen in teh last book, so of course he needs to change, and so does the story. But it's still the kids who are waiting impatiently for the next book.

Mud Dauber · Jan 6, 2007

Bartholomew said:
The books deal with subjects that all young children must eventually come to grips with, in very classy and educational ways.

Thank you. This is good to know.

katiemac said:
In all honesty, I'd read the books on your own beforehand. I'm all for uncensorship, but these books were originally released years apart. Meaning, as Harry ages so do the kids who read them. I don't know about having a 9-year-old read them all in one lumped spread.

This is why I chose to read them with her, rather than her reading them on her own. And I'm not interested enough in them to read them on my own, which is why I'm cheating and asking you guys!

JBI · Jan 6, 2007

Seems like the way I felt listening to my mother read C.S. Lewis to me. Used to love the tales of Narnia. I guess the hype is the magic.

Personally I think her setting is rather clever (and ironic I must add; who would've thought that children would be so obsessed with reading about school!).

As for her characterization, I think she doesn't understand how any male thinks or acts. Generally I see Harry as being a girl in a boys body, or being a flat "I'm the hero I must save the day" type character. Her other characters I must say are for the most part pathetic, especially Hermione. If you read carefully you will realize she uses the same phrases, actions, and reactions to everything, and really hasn't evolved as a character over 6 books.

Her appeal I would say has a lot to do with the appeal to children, which transfers somewhat an appeal to adults. Most likely if a kid is that obsessed with a book, a parent will pick it up, and like you do, read to them. Personally I think there are better books out there, but it is interesting to see kids get so into books. In the past there were similar hypes with Tolkien's The Hobbit which had kids, and still has kids, glued to the book. C.S. Lewis' work also had some major appeal in the past, as did the Brothers Grimm's work, and other fairy tales.

It appears that children are really attached (and adults, but mostly children) to the magical sort of fiction. Personally I think it has to do with the young imagination. Generally at that age, though they may not admit it, I think those kids will try to believe these sorts of fairy lands exist. As for adults, hell, if the kids like magic, so do we.

She isn't that good a writer, yet neither are Dan Brown or Grisham, and they have sold millions. Lets just remember the four Ps. Product is only one of them. There still is promotion, placement, and price to consider.

Elektra · Jan 6, 2007

I read it when I was around her age and absolutely hated it. The plot holes drove me nuts, and I just didn't like it. But then in high school a friend forced me to read the third one, and that hooked me on the series (though I still don't like Sorcerer's Stone at all).

Also, while the series contains dark subjects, they are handled in such a way that is never gruesome, and are all around "safe" for kids.

Jadezuki · Jan 6, 2007

JBI · Jan 6, 2007

badducky said:
compared to most of the YA stuff I was reading when I was a kid, Harry Potter is light and bright and cheerful.

"The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander is very, very dark with zombies and suicide. And, it's a classic worth reading.

Edit: also, the Conan mention is apt. I was filching Robert Jordan novels and Mr. Jordan never misses a chance to strip the women naked and kill someone. I didn't turn out alright, though.

I think you must have meant Goodkind for the stripping and killing women. Generally in Jordan's world women are in charge, and he has no real graphic sexual action. As for Goodkind however, he doesn't miss a chance to kill and or rape women.

I can't however see how you categorized these books with Harry Potter. Though I am by no means not a fan of Goodkind at all, I realize that he makes a clear point saying his books are not intended for kids. Though I do personally find this ironic since a large bulk of his audience are YA readers.

As for Jordan, personally I started reading his work when I was 12. His use of violence and sex is no more graphic or common than Tolkien's or C.S. Lewis'. His work however, also was originally geared at an older audience (though republications are geared more to wards YA now)

Conan of course, assuming you mean the original Robert E. Howard books deal with a lot of mature subject matter. Conan himself is somewhat of a thief, and Howard uses quite a large amount of racism to wards blacks in his books. Though this may be a reflection of the times when he was writing (I believe his last installments were in 1936 right before he killed himself), it is still there.

As for the violence in Potter, I would agree some 9 year olds are a little young for it. There are a few emotional scenes (well, emotional for kids) in the later installments, however the first 4 or so are quite tame. Generally I see her use of more "mature" plot to be a reflection of her poor writing. Generally my interpretation of this use of killing was to make her books seem more mature. Personally however, I was quite thrilled when she began killing off her characters. Finally we can see a little bit of character development eh' fellows?

As for censorship and whatnot, I personally think once a kids reaches around 11 or so (give or take a few years on each side depending on the kid) he should be ready to read anything. I personally of course had the pleasure of older siblings and was reading the graphic rape in Goodkind at the age of 9. Of course, that added to the appeal of his work since I was too young to really understand what he was trying to write about.

merper · Jan 6, 2007

My sister was fine with reading the first four when she was 7. The worst that happens is murder, and none of it is graphic - there's no moral grey ground between good and bad. A 9 year old should be plenty mature to understand that such things happen.

cynicalkane · Jan 6, 2007

the writing is clear, the characters are fleshed-out, the world vivid, and the moral lessons unimpeachable and advanced. (there's the main theme of good vs evil, but i also have yet to find another kids' book that shows so vividly why elected officials can't be trusted, for one example)

i always raise an eyebrow when people talk about how bad Rowling's writing is. the first book was a word-of-mouth hit that sold for only 3000 pounds, and all of them have met strong critical and commercial success.

also, "eh" has no apostrophe.

DeadlyAccurate · Jan 6, 2007

The first book is the closest to sounding like children's literature. It's also the one I like least. I read book six in one sitting, never moving from the couch except to get a drink or go to the bathroom, and finished around four in the morning even though I had to get up at six-thirty for work.

Dawn R · Jan 6, 2007

Am not intending to highjack this thread but in a quick aside - could someone please tell me, do the birds in Harry Potter talk English? If I remember correctly, some of the kids had owls for transporting letters. I need this info for a one liner in my current story. Thanks. Will let you get back to your discussion.

Elektra · Jan 6, 2007

They don't speak English, but they seem to understand it fairly well.

TwentyFour · Jan 6, 2007

My kid loved reading, before Harry came along to make a debut. He has since been turned off by the newest books. His favorites are of Harry in the beginning, learning his craft, making friends, so on...he has not expressed an interest in reading on after book 4. He has since moved on to true ghost stories by an old favorite of mine-Daniel Cohen.

He also enjoys other books similar to Harry Potter and others. Last huge book he read was "Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/0439456959/?tag=absolutewrite0c-20
I highly recommend it if you daughter enjoyed Harry Potter! It has many things he loved, however I did not read it...he did and paraphrased to me what it was about. I allow my son to choose whatever he wants at the library and since he is homeschooled, I ask him questions about the books once he finishes. It's like a book report-homeschool style...lol.

Once he learns more on writing I will ask him to write more on the books. He has been working on making his own books but bores after about 20 pages.

DeadlyAccurate · Jan 6, 2007

SouthernWriter1978, he might also look at Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy.

Rolling Thunder · Jan 6, 2007

I really enjoy the Harry Potter series but I've also been told I have the mind of a nine year old. So, for what it's worth, my opinion is highly subjective.

The series does delve into darker aspects but I think this was natural for the main plot, as the author knew her readers would grow (and relate to the content) along beside it.

This gives parents, who read to their younger children, an opportunity to discuss the situations presented in the stories with them. It could turn out to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to understand your child's dreams and fears.

Alex Bravo · Jan 6, 2007

CREATIVITY. That's what got me hooked, that she could take such ordinary stuff and make them so much fun. Every flavor jelly beans... how simple and yet so creative!

aruna · Jan 6, 2007

My daughter got HP 1 when she was 10 and didn;t get into it. Neither did I. I found it OK as a children's bppk, but Ijust didn;t get that "magic" that al the adults were talking about.

Actually, her decision to make hary a year older with every book is a bit unusual for a children's series. I was a voracious reader from the age of 8, and I read lots of series where the children never grew older - they wree always the same age, book after book. Doesn't make sense from a realistic point of view, but it certainly makes it easer for parents.

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