Suicide By Books

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

TTT: Top 10 Reasons I Love Harry Potter

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie where we get to blog about something near and dear to our hearts. Seeing as I have currently immersed myself in the Wizarding World once again, I thought I'd write down the Top Ten Reasons I Love Harry Potter.

1) The Story Itself

An epic tale that takes place over seven books, Harry Potter is one of the most complex, creative, and ambitious stories about the triumph of good over evil in all of literature. Harry Potter is popular for a reason - it's an absolute masterpiece of storytelling.

2) Every time I reread it, I discover something new

Image result for harry potter illustrated

Anyone who dismisses the Harry Potter series as 'children's books' has probably never read the series - or at least never revisited it. There are so many layers to each one of the books and each one is connected to another in some way. Every time I reread Harry Potter, I stumble across something new - and it almost feels like reading it for the very first time.

3) It takes me back to my childhood

I discovered Harry Potter when I was about 8 years old and the books became a huge part of my childhood. I read and reread them ferociously - and I'm still rereading them into my adulthood. I still get that special sense of wonder and enchantment whenever I read a Harry Potter book and I credit the series for preventing me from turning into a cynical and jaded adult.

4) The HP fandom is incredible

I've met some wonderful people, both online and in real life, who share my love for Harry Potter. I'm just so amazed that the fandom has continued to grow and is always producing new artwork, fanfiction, theories, and discoveries. Is the fandom perfect? No, of course not. There are some toxic elements to it that are unfortunately found in most fandoms. (The recent furor over the casting of a black Hermione I find particularly troublesome.) But for the most part, people in the fandom are warm, accepting people and I am proud to belong to it.

5) Harry Potter inspired me to be a writer

When I wasn't reading Harry Potter, I was imagining myself living in the world of it, creating stories in my mind that took place at Hogwarts. Basically, I was writing fanfiction in my head. Doing this inspired me to imagine my own fictional world, with my own characters and storylines. J.K. Rowling has been such an inspiration to me over the years, and it's thanks to her that I continue to pursue my dream of one day becoming a published author.

6) Harry Potter lets me escape from reality

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This I could say about reading in general, but whenever I read Harry Potter, I actually feel like I'm inhabiting a parallel universe. If there was a way I could climb inside the pages and live at Hogwarts, I would.

7) The various creatures are...fantastic

I've always loved books that feature mythical creatures and Harry Potter is chock-full of some of my favorites. I love how Rowling put her own spin on existing mythical beasts as well as creating her own. Dragons, phoenixes, thestrals, hippogriffs...I love them all and could not be more excited for the Fantastic Beasts film!

8) The humor in the books

Image result for harry potter funny quotes fred and george

Each and every book has some fantastic jokes that still make me laugh to this day. I've found, strangely enough, that as the books get darker, they also get funnier.

9) Severus Snape

My favorite character in the Harry Potter series is, and will always be, Severus Snape. There is something about him that I really empathize with and connect to. I know there's the whole controversy about Harry naming his kid after him, and OMG he was such a bully and blah, blah, blah...But no. In my opinion, he is an absolute gift of a character, and I would love to see the Harry Potter series from Snape's POV. (Hint, hint, J.K. Rowling!)

10) Harry Potter taught me what it means to be a good person

Reading Harry Potter taught me to not judge people based on appearance and to accept people for who they are. It taught me the meaning of true friendship and empathy. It taught me what unconditional love is. Most importantly, Harry Potter taught me that those who fear death are also afraid of life. I learned what really matters in life, thanks to Harry Potter.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original bookish meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Harry Potter Reread: Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I first saw Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in a department store, displayed along with copies of Prisoner of Azkaban. I can't remember if I was aware that there were sequels to Philosopher's Stone before then but when I saw the display of Harry Potter books, I freaked out. I begged my mom to buy them for me as we made our way through the store. Oddly enough, she refused. (My mom has always been very generous when it comes to supporting my book addiction. She's a bit of an enabler, really.) I kept pestering her until finally she revealed the truth: she had already bought the books for me but was saving them to give to me for Christmas. I was both elated and devastated by this news. If I remember correctly, Christmas was still a few months away. In the end, she agreed to give me Chamber of Secrets early and save Prisoner of Azkaban for Christmas. (I really do have the greatest mom in the world.)

I think I started reading it as soon as she gave it to me. I remember Mrs. Morgan, my third grade teacher, also read Chamber of Secrets to our class but I'm pretty certain I started reading the book on my own first. I finished it in a few days and began counting down the days until Christmas, when I would finally get my hands on the third book and continue the series.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

-I appreciate Gilderoy Lockhart's character more each time I reread Chamber of Secrets. He's ridiculous to the point of caricature but he is a perfect parody of our celebrity-obsessed culture. Plus, J.K. Rowling has said in several interviews that he was based on a real person!

-I've seen this theory floating around already but am now convinced that Tom Riddle helped Ginny write that love poem for Harry because of the line 'I wish he was mine, he's really divine/The hero that conquered the Dark Lord.' Only Death Eaters would refer to Voldemort as the 'Dark Lord.'

-there are so many hints throughout the book that Ron and Hermione are developing feelings for each other, particularly on Ron's side. Ron exhibits a particular disgust for Lockhart that I think can be attributed to feelings of jealousy because Hermione has a crush on him; Ron attacks Malfoy when he calls Hermione 'Mudblood'; Ron seems particularly upset when Hermione is petrified. I don't think Ron is yet fully aware that he is developing a crush on Hermione but I think those feelings definitely start taking shape in Chamber of Secrets

-I spotted so many connections to book six - Aragog, the diary (revealed later to be a horcrux), the relationship between Harry/Ginny, Tom Riddle, Borgin and Burkes, the vanishing cabinet, the Hand of Glory, Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, etc.

Favorite Parts/Lines

-Peeves' 'Oh Potter, you rotter' song is one of the best parts in the book. It makes me laugh every time.

-there aren't a lot of Snape moments in this book (which is a shame) but one of my favorite ones is when he blasts Lockhart off his feet in the Dueling Club. I think even when I read it for the first time, I was rooting for Snape to kick Lockhart's ass

-I still love the scene with the giant spiders. Aragog is one of my favorite creatures in the series

-'Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames.' pg. 155

-'It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.' pg. 245

Final Thoughts

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is often said to be the weakest in the series but I think this is an unfair assessment. It is just as good as Philosopher's Stone and tells an exciting, complex story. Full of danger, mystery, and adventure, I will always take pleasure in revisiting Chamber of Secrets.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Harry Potter Reread: Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

Origin Story

A lot of people credit the Harry Potter series as the reason they fell in love with books and became avid readers. However, I was already a book nerd long before Harry Potter came along. But when I first read it, I knew it was special. I had never fell so completely in love with a fictional world before. Reading Harry Potter for the first time was like finding something I had always been searching for. And now whenever I reread the series, it feels like coming home. I first read Harry Potter when I was about 10 or 11. Now I'm in my mid-20s and the books still give me feels.

I was first introduced to Harry Potter by my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Morgan. She read out loud to us a little bit every day. Before she read it, I had never heard of Harry Potter. The first time, she only read about one or two chapters but that was enough for me. I immediately went to my local book store and bought my own copy. (Or, rather, my mom bought it for me. Thanks Mom!)

I devoured the first book, so when my teacher read it to us, I already knew what was going to happen. Mrs. Morgan was a great reader, though, so I still enjoyed it. Even after all these years, when I reread the book, I can still remember her tone and inflection during certain parts. I am forever so thankful to her for introducing me to Harry Potter.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

-Harry is remarkably well-adjusted for a child who has been abused and neglected for nearly eleven years. So I had a thought: Harry's mother died to save him, an act of love so powerful that it gave him protection against Voldemort, and later, Professor Quirrell (working for Voldemort.) But did her sacrifice give him psychological protection as well? Was Harry subconsciously aware that he was loved? Did that make it somewhat easier to deal with the abuse?

-The Dursleys have four bedrooms in their house and yet they make Harry sleep in the cupboard under the stairs for over a decade. I never really noticed how cruel and selfish that was. It's a really small detail but once I noticed it, it just made me hate the Dursleys even more.

-Hagrid is so wonderful. I had always loved his character but I didn't really appreciate him that much until I noticed just how awful the Dursleys were. The very first thing that Hagrid does when he arrives to give Harry his letter is to feed him and make sure he is cared for.

-How do the Dursleys get back to the shore if Harry and Hagrid took the boat?

-Peeves is such an asshole. I love him.

-The screaming book in the Restricted section - is it part of a spell that keeps unauthorized students from reading the restricted books? Because otherwise, why keep a book in a library that just screams at anyone who tries to read it?

-When Snape confronts Quirrell in the forest, he says 'Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all.' Presumably, these students are Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But how does he know that they know about the Stone? Is it because of Occlumency? I'm willing to bet that it is because there are several hints throughout the book that Snape is reading Harry's mind.

Favorite Parts/Lines

-'It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.' pg. 14

-The poem on the door of Gringotts bank. For some reason, it gives me goosebumps. Probably because it's so brilliantly written - and also because it's a little bit sinister.

-'So we've just got to try on the hat!' Ron whispered to Harry. 'I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll.' pg. 89

-When Harry sees his family for the first time in the Mirror of Erised, it makes me cry.

-Of course, one of my favorite chapters is Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. I love dragons!

-'Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.' pg. 216 (Excuse me while I sob all over the place.)

Final Thoughts

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as one of the earlier books in the series, feels the most like a traditional children's book. But it is so much more than that. This book always manages to make me laugh, cry, and wish, for the thousandth time, that I got my very own Hogwarts letter.