Can someone explain the appeal of the Harry Potter books?

[Mr.Squishy]

Yeah, the title says it all I guess. I've never read the books, only seen the three first movies a long time ago, and I found the mythos generally boring. But as fate would have it, everyone but me seems to be bonkers about it, especially the literary community. So I'm asking this question now. No, I'm not trying to be facetious or sarcastic, I'm actually curious.

 

[ZeroMachine]

You're looking to the Harry Potter series for a good mythos? There's your problem. That's why I used to hate it, especially after seeing a universe like Halo or Star Wars or Warcraft and stuff that are much more detailed.

Harry Potter isn't something to look to for an epic fantasy world. It's something to look to for good characters/development and an interesting coming of age/good vs evil story.

Whatever you do, just don't try to look into the details for the universe... they don't make sense.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I don't mind the books, but I can understand why a lot of other people would absolutely love them.

The language is easy going without being 'simple', the narrative is relatively straight forward but coupled with a complex story that never overwhelms (it only 'whelms' as it were) and characterisation is well done (if a bit predictably).

Therefore, read them at a pace of about 100-150 pages an hour and you'll be fine.

Criticism is reserved for the last three books (especially number 5, which could've done with being 200 pages shorter), for milking it a little too much.

Hence, on the whole, an enjoyable read, but on territory which may seem a bit familiar to old-hands at fantasy literature (though we get that a lot these days, genuine originality being a bit hard to come by).

 

[Timmehexas]

It's kind of a silly question isn't it... books, movies, games whatever all comes down to personal taste, everyone in the world can like something that you hate and it doesn't mean you're wrong or they are its just different taste.

But yes in term of character development I'd have to agree that Harry Potter does a great job of making you emotionally attach to a character, I mean... Dobby... I think I need a tissue.

 

[Void Droid]

The books are a good read, that's why I really really like them and that's the only reason that matters.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Teen adventure story plus magix, it's a good mix for anyone into those things.

 

[rokkolpo]

It's about magic, many people here are total geeks for magic.

That's the answer.

Captcha: aballoyrn stone
Screw the philophers stone!

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

I love them because my inner child isn't dead.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I mean... Dobby... I think I need a tissue.

What for?! *gives weird look*

In all seriousness, though, his character was poorly done (IMO), and when he was offed, all that went through my head was 'good fucking riddance', annoying squit. That whole episode was pure cliche which was why my opinion of the series slid downwards for the final three books.

However, kudos to you, people think I'm mad because I think Rowling could've done a whole lot more with Bellatrix's character. So *shrug*

 

[Diligent]

Hell, I'm way beyond the age group the books were written for and I've been reading them just to see what all the fuss is about too. It turns out they are engaging, exciting, easy to read but not overly simple like somebody else said, and an all around enjoyable story.

The first book especially had a very Roald Dahl vibe at points. A boy who's horrible stepparents lock him in a cupboard and barely feed him or let him out? That's child abuse yo! But it's ok, because it's told whimsically, and he escapes to a land of magic. By the 5th book though, I wanted to punch Harry in the head at some points because of all the flip-flopping emotional teen angst nonsense. By the 5th book it really seems to have lost the magic that made the first one take off as an instant childrens classic and is just milking the story.

Can't comment on book 6 or 7 as that's the last one I've read.
Conclusion: It's a well paced introduction to the fantasy adventure genre for kids.

 

[HobbyJim]

Well, as much as I LOOOOOVE me some harry potter, I have to agree with ZeroMachine on the fact that the universe of Harry Potter isn't the most compelling. However, I have to give credit to Rowling for making what is essentially a highly advanced secondary school look awesome. I'll say that again: SHE MADE SCHOOL LOOK AWESOME. Regardless of the curriculum, that's a pretty awesome job on her part.

The whole mythos and universe of harry potter is essentially borrowed from other great fantasy works. Rifftrax made a joke about that in their riff of Prisoner of Azkaban: "For homework, find a copy of the Dungeons and Dragons Bestiary, pick a creature, slightly change the lettering and invent your own monster!" What I love about Harry Potter the most is that fantasy is not necessarily the book's biggest focus. To me, it plays out like every great children's detective story mixed with mid 90's teen sitcoms mixed with a dash of Tolkien and Martin.

The hook for me was Rowling's writing. She REALLY gave a lot of life to it. Her characterization and the slow molding of the stories and plot threads over 7 books is pretty damn incredible. While the ending of the whole thing was kind of a curveball-of-the-fates delivered by the righteous hand of God himself to your face, upon a second (and it wouldn't help with a third) re-reading, I was able to grasp and understand the complexities of it all; now looking back, what she created is nothing short of mesmerizing.

If you're looking for depth and a "mythos", going to the movies is definitely not where you want to start. While the movies I enjoyed, they can't hope to go as deep as the books did. Personally, I think a TV series would have been better. 7 books, 7 TV seasons. This would allow the writers to go nuts bringing about the insane depth and characterization of the books to life, and not being hampered by a silly 150 minute time limit.

 

[ScoopMeister]

I mean... Dobby... I think I need a tissue.

What for?! *gives weird look*

In all seriousness, though, his character was poorly done (IMO), and when he was offed, all that went through my head was 'good fucking riddance', annoying squit. That whole episode was pure cliche which was why my opinion of the series slid downwards for the final three books.

However, kudos to you, people think I'm mad because I think Rowling could've done a whole lot more with Bellatrix's character. So *shrug*

Dobby should have killed Bellatrix. But hey.

 

[Timmehexas]

I mean... Dobby... I think I need a tissue.

What for?! *gives weird look*

In all seriousness, though, his character was poorly done (IMO), and when he was offed, all that went through my head was 'good fucking riddance', annoying squit. That whole episode was pure cliche which was why my opinion of the series slid downwards for the final three books.

However, kudos to you, people think I'm mad because I think Rowling could've done a whole lot more with Bellatrix's character. So *shrug*

Because he was a horribly repressed little squit, that risked everything for a war that wasn't his to help a boy that he didn't know. But anyway, totally agree with the whole Bellatrix thing, loved her in the books and was casted so well with Helena Bonham Carter.

 

[Neverhoodian]

While I don't care much for the series, I can see why people might like it so much. It's a combination of fantasy and "coming of age" young adult literature with a reasonably well fleshed out backstory.

I just can't get past how things are managed. If Hogwarts was a real school they would be sued up the ass for willful endangerment of the students. I also hated how all the hellians that would normally be severely disciplined/expelled from any sane school are not only tolerated, but legitimized as one of the four official Houses. Speaking of which, I always felt the idea behind the Houses was a pretty fatalistic one. It's like a rigid caste system, forcing you to stay in one group and discouraging things like challenging one's perceptions of reality and character growth.

 

[DalekJaas]

Why don't you just read the books and find out what the appeal is. There are a few harry haters on the escapist but they didn't make JK richer than the queen because they were bad.

 

[Void Droid]

However, kudos to you, people think I'm mad because I think Rowling could've done a whole lot more with Bellatrix's character. So *shrug*

I agree with you there, so much more could've been done with her character. Snape was handled fantastically though.

As I said above they were a good read which is why I enjoyed them, though I should also mention JK came to my sisters school in 2000 I think it was reading a part of the third book. I met her as I had read the previous books and after about a 5 minutes chat she seemed nice enough (even answered a few questions about where the story might go), so that also helped me support the books a bit more.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Dobby should have killed Bellatrix. But hey.

That's sacrilege and you know it!

was casted so well with Helena Bonham Carter.

Oh yeah, but as with the books, as ideal as the casting was, wasn't fully taken advantage of (a bit of a waste), though it being a film, the scope was limited. Still, I'll say it many a time, HBC is the only actor who can steal a scene merely by thinking about her.

 

[PurplePlatypus]

Well, it?s the good old plot of good versus evil and it has a slew of interesting, well developed characters, plus is includes magic. It just does very well appealing to a lot of people.

 

[Astoria]

I just find it to be an interesting story with likeable characters that can take you into a magical world whilst your reading it. I think for a lot of people it's a fantasy brought to life, who wouldn't want to be told they're a wizard and get taken to magic school!