I wouldn’t say I disliked it but Harry Potter just seemed like an ordinary story with nothing special about it in terms of writing or plot to me. Made me wonder if I was missing something since it seems to have had a huge an impact on popular culture.
I think a lot of it is being at a certain age. When you’re young you’re configured to see magic everywhere. The video games you played when you were a kid, the places you went, the stuff you read… it’s all important. It’s wide and magical. It has this quality that’s not replicable. I talked with people about the games I played when I was about 10 years old, and they felt exactly the same way about the games they played when they were 10.
Sometimes it’s true. The Lord of the Rings books are still magic as an adult (actually more so). But I had the exact same experience reading HP; it’s fine. It’s perfectly serviceable, but I think I missed reading it at the age where it would have triggered the pure magic response, so I don’t get it the same way.
A big aspect of it is likely nostalgia and the influence it had on many people who were learning to solidify their literacy. I think that’s also why it is so hard for people to break from it as well today.
I came here to say HP too. The voice/writing style it’s in is not for me, at least the first book. I couldn’t get past the second chapter back when I tried to read it.
I wouldn’t say I disliked it but Harry Potter just seemed like an ordinary story with nothing special about it in terms of writing or plot to me. Made me wonder if I was missing something since it seems to have had a huge an impact on popular culture.
I think a lot of it is being at a certain age. When you’re young you’re configured to see magic everywhere. The video games you played when you were a kid, the places you went, the stuff you read… it’s all important. It’s wide and magical. It has this quality that’s not replicable. I talked with people about the games I played when I was about 10 years old, and they felt exactly the same way about the games they played when they were 10.
Sometimes it’s true. The Lord of the Rings books are still magic as an adult (actually more so). But I had the exact same experience reading HP; it’s fine. It’s perfectly serviceable, but I think I missed reading it at the age where it would have triggered the pure magic response, so I don’t get it the same way.
I love this take- I think you’re onto something
A big aspect of it is likely nostalgia and the influence it had on many people who were learning to solidify their literacy. I think that’s also why it is so hard for people to break from it as well today.
Very true and I should at least appreciate the fact it made a bunch of people excited about reading :)
I came here to say HP too. The voice/writing style it’s in is not for me, at least the first book. I couldn’t get past the second chapter back when I tried to read it.