Mrs Boo - 30 Lifer Crisis

She’s bloody rich - that Rowling woman. 250 million books worldwide, and one of the top earners in Britain. And every year for the past 6 or 7 years I have been faithfully contributing to her overflowing coffers. Me, a 30 year-old addicted to Harry Potter and his bunch of weird friends. But of course, being the matured person that I am, I very smartly pre-ordered my book (as did millions of people around the world), did not bother to join the queue at 7.01am, and strolled my way into the bookstore in the afternoon to pick up my copy with the “Adult Cover” (such good marketing people, Bloomsbury).

Still this did not prevent some people from exclaiming “You READ Harry Potter??!?” (yeah, like you don’t sucker…). Since that fateful Saturday I read the damn 608 page book only in the evenings after work huddled snugly in my bedroom. And it took me a grand 4 nights to finish it.

And may I warn those who have yet to read the book - ALL SPOILERS ahead - I am not the typical reviewer who will try to keep plot secrets. So, here goes:

The multi-million dollar question of WHO DIED? And (drumroll please) he is of course Dumbledore. He died a nasty death, poor chap, betrayed by the snivelling, conniving Severus Snape. Albus Dumbledore is a great character, and he has been Harry’s mentor for so long, that there is a great sense of loss (both on Harry’s part and the reader’s) at the end of the book. Unfortunately, the fact that it was Dumbledore who died was leaked out a few months ago in the press as “rumours”, so throughout the book I had been expecting his death anyway, so it was sort of an anti-climax. So I did not burst into tears or wailed like some allegedly did!

The only plot line that took me by surprise who the identify of the Half Blood Prince. I had thought it was Voldermort all along, but it turned out to be stupid Snape!! But that was a good twist in the story as it made Snape’s betrayal of Dumbledore all the more convincing. Also, the tension arising from “is Snape good or is he bad” was well-maintained until the last chapter of the book when it all exploded.

Rowling’s books get darker and gloomier with each additon. What started out as a hee-hee-ha-ha children’s story about a boy wizard and his adventures in his school has descended into a dark depressing fantasy book - I felt like I was reading the “Wheel of Time” with its adult themes of death, destruction, pain, destiny and the Great and Ultimate Evil i.e Voldermort, and Harry being the “Chosen One” - Neo in the Matrix, anyone?! I failed to see how the last two books (Order of the Phoenix) could actually attract its original target group of readers - ie innocent school children, but maybe children nowadays are more morbid than those in my generation (which was bloody long ago).

I began reading Harry Potter because the first book called out to the child in me. Having grown up on a diet of Enid Blyton stories, Harry Potter was a god-send, combining fantasy, boarding school fun, and kiddy adventures. But progressively, the darkness becomes stifling and overwhelming, and Rowling stuggles to add bright bits into the story (to of course placate the younger demographics). The uneven tone does not make a smooth read. Honestly if I wanted angst, I would rather read adult fantasy anytime! Honestly I am glad that Rowling has only one more book to go. The last thing I want to see is Harry turning into a Macaulley Culkin - bleah!

Nothing much happens in this book in terms of real events other than Dumbledore’s death - it really only prepares us for the inevitable showdown that is going to take place in the final book. Good grief, another year (or more) of waiting, and one more chance for Rowling to rake in as much money as she possibly can….

Rating: 3.5 boos out of 5