Spreading the OotP love

[donnaimmaculata]

HBP is one week away, and I realised something: I am not worried about anything that might happen in the book. (I have quite reconciled with the idea of Remus' death.) But what makes me uneasy is the anticipation of the reactions in fandom. There will be hissy fits, there will be character bashing, and there will be outcries of "OMG! JKR is, like, so stupid! She has no idea what makes her characters work, and she dares [dislike Snape/Draco/Voldemort] [like Sirius/Harry/Dumbledore]!!" So, hm, in order to remind myself that there are people who actually like the books and don't mind that it is Rowling who continues writing them, I've got a question: What did you liked about OotP? If anything? Because, personally, I quite liked it. I realise that there are plot holes in Rowling's writing and that Sirius should not have died and that Harry is angry and irrational. But, on the whole, I like the book better than I liked GoF.

- I like angry!Harry. I've always found him too bland in earlier books and never cared much about him, despite his being the hero. His reactions are now appropriate to all the shit life puts him through

- I like that Remus didn't die

- I like Snape's smooth put-down of Umbridge when she demands more Veritaserum

- I like that there isn't so much Quidditch

- I like that Ron is made prefect and not Harry and that Harry is now shut out from a part of Ron and Hermione's life

- I like the glimpse we get of Petunia and Dudley at the beginning (and I like that it is only a glimpse, without any explanation)

- I absolutely adore that Rowling acknowledges that people don't start trusting/liking each other just because they happen to have a goal in common. In fact, this is what I like most about OotP. Most fics written post GoF and dealing with the war had the good guys stand united and fight the evil together (whether or not successfully is immaterial). Snape would train Harry, who would submit to it like a reasonable kid; Snape would forget his own grudge against MWPP and acknowledge Lupin and Black's competence; Dumbledore would be the leader and the Ministry would submit to his leadership... etc. OotP does not offer any of those satisfactory solutions. The good guys keep disliking and distrusting each other, and Harry, despite his hero status, is treated like the brat that he is. OotP is also the book of stagnation: nothing much happens, apart from waiting for Voldemort to act. This drives the characters mad, and their irritation translates to the reader. I don't know whether Rowling did that on purpose, but whatever her intention might have been: she managed to make the readers feel as twitchy and frustrated as the characters. OotP would not work as a stand-alone novel, but as part of a series, it does.

So, I am curious: is there anything you liked about OotP? Or is the hatred of the book universal?

Comments

[mermaidkween.livejournal.com]

I loved it, myself. It actually became my favorite. I love the Department of Mysteries, at the end. Everyone worked together and got to show off everything the DA taught them. And they got to take the thestrals to get there. 'Twas wonderful. Except for Sirius dying. But I'm okay that it happened. Actually, since I knew the whole time that somebody was going to die, I thought it happened at first when Mrs. Weasley confronted the boggart and saw Ron dead. I was like, "OMG!" but then I remembered that it was a boggart and breathed a BIG sigh of relief. Clever Jo. Making me think Ron died. And so early in the book! Ha.

The Department of Mysteries also opens up another big can of worms...what else is in there? I think that might just be important. If it's not...then heck, that's weird to me.

Angry!Harry is teh sex, as well. I love a main character that enjoys a good yell once in a while. Because silence is golden, but shouting is fun. And he gets all that crap he's been going through off his chest.

I also like that a bit of Ron and Hermione's life is a little secret now, because of the whole prefect thing (Gah, I'm saying everything you did. XD). Now there's a possibility that something's been developing behind the scenes. I won't seriously sail that ship until it happens though. That's my policy. No seriously sailing ships until it happens. That's the way it's always been with me. That's what I tell my friends, that's what I tell my boyfriend, that's what I told MuggleNet, and that's what I'm telling you. XD

Snape's past with MWPP was also on a shallow level, amusing. On a much deeper level, you certainly get a different opinion of James from that. And even a little more understanding of Snape's impetus in life. It's good to find out more about the most mysterious characters.

So...I hope HBP closes some of these gaping doors, but opens just enough more to lead us up to a fantastic finale of Harry's last year at Hogwarts. We shall see.

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

The Department of Mysteries also opens up another big can of worms...

True. We got a glimpse of the Department of Mysteries at the Quidditch World Cup in GoF, when Arthur pointed out some of the wizards working there in passing, and I'm sure that there is more to it than we've seen so far.

Angry!Harry is teh sex,

Funny, that's how I started to feel about Harry, too. He's so much better when he rages than when he holds back.

I actually don't care about the Ron/Hermione ship, but I like how being prefects removes them from Harry's life to a degree. Because this is what happens with friendships in RL, too. People's lives drift apart in some way.

Snape's past with MWPP was also on a shallow level, amusing.

You must be one of the few people I know that see it like that *g* That's quite refreshing.

I'm sure that there will be enough questions open for book seven. Rowling can't possibly explain everything in HBP.

[mermaidkween.livejournal.com]

You must be one of the few people I know that see it like that *g*
Well, it's funny. It just reminded me of people at school. You know the ones, probably... Terrorize anyone different. Snape's the misunderstood rebel in this equation, and MWPP are the jocks and preps, to some extent. It says a lot about current social structure. Or at least, I think so.

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

What I meant was that many readers began hating Sirius and James in that scene and didn't find it remotely amusing.

It just reminded me of people at school.

Well, this is Rowling's strong point, I think. She creates characters that we know. She's got the ability to sketch a recognisable, distinc character with a few words.

[mermaidkween.livejournal.com]

Well, they most certainly became more stuck-up in my mind for a while, but you've got to keep in mind that, according to Remus, they straightened up and flew right after that, James mostly to attract Lily's attention. Since they stopped being general assholes, they were slightly redeemed in my eyes. So the thought is introduced that people change. Which they do. So is anyone major going to change? Like Draco, for instance? A JK Rowling biography I read once hinted that Draco will see the light. But we can't trust these things. But we also don't know what all the biographer got to see. Hm.

That scene also made me decide that Severus ought to have listened to his mother and worn clean underwear. But that makes me wonder about his parents. Were they controlled by Voldemort, too? Or were they just normal? Maybe they were murdered or something. Certainly explains Snape's bitterness. Lol.