A smattering of everything

The Nazi Officer's Wife
If you enjoy memoirs and are interested in WWII/Holocaust, this is a must read. It's the story of Edith Hahn Beer, a Jewish woman that grew up in Vienna. She was a young adult at the start of the war. She survives by marrying a member of the Nazi party who later becomes an officer. It's very well written and the story of her life moves at the perfect pace. I stayed up late to read the next chapter and then the next chapter. It was a very touching look at humanity and what we will do in order to survive. She is first forced to live in a ghetto and then into a labor camp. When she gets back her mother has been forced to the "east"...Poland and eventually death in a concentration camp. She goes underground for a brief period of time but then, with the help of a Christian friend she becomes a Christian woman and moves away from Vienna. She then meets and marries Werner Vetter, a Nazi Party Member. It's not graphic or violent as many WWII memoirs can be given the subject matter. It's a close look at it was like for countless Jews that were hidden in plain sight and the everyday terror that she and many others must have felt at a knock at the door, getting her weekly rations, clothing, etc. Seriously...read it.

The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins
This is actually the first in a trilogy. The second book was recently published and I'm not entirely sure when the third will be completed. My coworker first got me interested in this book but when she told me what it was about I was seriously disturbed and I wasn't sure I was going to read it. Having read it, I really enjoyed it. It's a young adult novel. Following a rebellion, all of North America has been destroyed and it is now the nation of Panem. 12 Districts that are all controlled by the Capitol. The 13th district was utterly destroyed in the rebellion. In remembrance of the Uprising and to remind each district the control the Capitol holds over them the Capital hosts the Hunger Games. Each district sends two tributes, one girl and one boy ages 12-18, to participate in the Games. They are sent to the Capital and then they are all put in a huge arena that changes landscapes, traps, animals, conditions etc. every year. Once in the arena, they have to kill everyone off and the last person standing is the winner. So now you see why I was extremely unsure about this book but really it's very good. It's disturbing but I think it's supposed to be disturbing. You have to continually remind yourself that the characters you are reading about are just children. It reminded me a bit of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. This story centers on the two tributes from the poor, coal producing District Twelve. I can't say too much without giving away the ending but it's an interesting story and really pulls you in. If you look deeper you could find the social commentary but you don't need to in order to enjoy the book.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
I am actually currently reading this one. I started it quite a while ago but at the time, I had recently been on a "classics" reading spree and I just couldn't get through it. But now, I've been reading pretty "easy" books and decided it was time to have another go at Hardy. So far I've been enjoying it. It's not a book that you read just to get to the end of the story. You have to enjoy the language and the descriptions of what is going on. Hardy has a way of layering meaning on top of meaning. It can be difficult to get through but it's worth it, in my opinion, to persevere to the end. In Tess the title character gets into bad situations, gets herself out just to get into more trouble down the road. It's not her fault necessarily but it's not a real pick me up sort of story. In describing Tess's budding relationship with another character throughout the day, Hardy describes the rising and setting of the sun. He says

The gray half-tones of daybreak are not the gray half-tones of the day's close, though the degree of their shade may be the same. In the twilight of the morning light seems active, darkness passive; in the twilight of evening it is the darkness which is active and crescent, and the light which is the drowsy reverse.

Hardy has a way of describing the world around the characters as a way of giving further illumination into the mind, life and emotions of the characters. I don't think Hardy is for everyone but I'm enjoying it. I don't think he'll make it to my top 5 favorite "classic" authors but I can at least understand while he's considered a classic.

There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Louis Sachar

Its just so fun to reread books from your childhood!! And its also sort of amazing to see how your new/older perspective can entirely change the message of the story. Thus was my situation in my recent reread of Louis Sachar's There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom.

Bradley Chalkers is a bully. He was left behind so he's a year older than everyone else and he generally epitomizes the label "Problem Child." But that's the real problem--he's been labeled as a problem and does his best to live up to it. He has no friends and he's okay with that. Kids are scared of him because he beats them up and he's okay with that too. Or at least...he was. But when a new kid, Jeff, moves in and seems to want to be his friend, and when the new counselor, Carla, begins to work with him and be his friend...Bradley begins to think it might be worth trying.

As a kid, I loved this book because it was about this funny boy, Bradley who goes into the girl's bathroom accidentally and later two other people went into the wrong bathroom too! Yep. Awesome. But reading it now, as a teacher, the heartstrings were seriously given a workout. I totally felt for this kid who was limited by the labels put upon him. And his struggles to make friends and deal with things that were totally new to him--even something as simple as a birthday party!--brought me to tears. Literally. Let's just say its a great book. If you've read it before, read it again. Fabulous.

A

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

I have a weakness for a good fluffy fiction. You know the kind that you will forget pretty quick after you read it, but its super fun while you're in the middle of it? And you're in the middle of it for a very short amount of time because you read the book so fast? You know? You with me? Yeah, those are the kind of books I love.

Jean Ferris' Once Upon a Marigold is a pretty good example. Its a fun young adult novel set in a fantastical world of princesses, trolls, and giants who guard the castle. The action revolves around Chris--a commoner who lives in the forest with his troll foster father--and the girl he is smitten with--Marigold. Marigold, it turns out, is a princess with special powers/curses (depending on how you look at it). Chris figures he has no chance with the girl, but as a friendship develops...so does the fun. Oh, and then Chris finds out the queen is planning on quietly getting rid of Marigold so she, the queen, can rule forever? And the excitement just builds from there!

The story is fun, fast-paced, and original enough to keep you guessing. I laughed out loud at a couple different places--the characters are fabulous!--and barely put the book down until I was finished. Thank goodness for school holidays...

I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, quick read that will make you beam! inside and out. Seriously. Its a happy book.

B+

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Um, No, just no, you did not, C-? C-? Really? Shirley, you jest! Oh wait your name isn't Shirley, its Tara, I wish it was Shirley, because then you wouldn't be Tara who insulted one of the best and most influential science fiction books ever written.

Allow me to back that statement up. First, lets look at just how daring and original this book is. Published in the 60s this is one of if not the first book of the genre to have a young female protagonist. On top of that it quite adequately empathizes with the feelings of a bright young person who doesn't fit in and and toward whom resentment is directed from their peers. Ender's Game is the only other book I have read that reaches that type of person. Not only that but this book revels in the individuality of its characters.

Rather than dictating that the kids fit into a pigeonhole it expresses that Calvin is uncomfortable with being characterized as a jock and is capable of being more than just an athlete, Meg thrives when she does things her own way, and Charles Wallace doesn't care what anybody thinks about him, he is a sport and he loves it. The idea of mindless conformity is condemned as the goal of IT, or rather the forces of evil. So, take into account that Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Leave it to Beaver were en vogue when this was published and I dare you to say "meh" to this book.

The next topic I will address is sheer creativity. The author creates stunning panoramas in the mind of an imaginative reader, and the interaction between the characters is engaging. The Mrs. W's are hilarious at times. The creatures are really unique as well, not merely borrowed from some other mythology.

A Wrinkle in Time is more than just a fluff fiction book, it stimulates thought, it contains original ideas, it teaches that science and math have practical application, it encourages the expansion of the reader's vocabulary, and beyond that it manages to entertain and inspire. Madeline L'Engle wrote what children should be reading instead of pointless adventure stories with fantastic (fantastic-ridiculous, not fantastic-good) plot lines that end all happy and good conquers evil forever. Oh, and her book doesn't end with "everyone lives happily ever after" it ends with the idea that God has a purpose for us and that we need to have faith and love and then after we do our part, things will be ok.

To sum things up, only a square would call this book "somewhat entertaining". I give this book a A+ and consider it required reading for the young, and everyone else too.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

We've recently tackled the topic of "classics" so it seemed appropriate that I just finished what most consider a children's class--Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. I am positive I read this book when I was younger but my only memory of it is a mass of confusing bits and pieces. Today I was headed to the lake for some fishing and decided to give it another go.

Meg Murray's father has been missing for over a year. He's on some classified mission for the government and the family is left in the dark as to his whereabouts. So Meg, her incredibly intelligent younger brother Charles Wallace, and new friend Calvin O'Keefe set out to cross time and space to bring him back. They're helped by some mysterious guardian angel types--the Mrs. W's--and also find aid on a variety of other planets. Spoiler alert? They're successful and everyone lives happily ever after (at least in this book...the first in the "saga").

I'm guessing there are many of you who read this as a kid. If you're thinking about giving it another try like me...don't. I'd give it a solid "Meh." Its not terrible. Its somewhat entertaining. But I'm not sure why people like it so much. There's a strong Christian message in it, and "love conquers all" in the end so maybe its parents who push it so much. No idea. I just know I wasn't all that impressed.

C-

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Let me start by publicly saying that I love Goodreads.com. If you aren't yet a member, you should be. Its a great website where you can create bookshelves for yourself (helps me keep track of the books I want to read), write reviews, read reviews, and generally just be part of a great reading community. And it was on Goodreads that I first heard of The Mysterious Benedict Society.

This piece of young adult fiction revolves around four children who all answer an odd ad found in the paper--encouraging gifted children to come be a part of "special opportunities." Turns out these opportunities land them on a special team of kids who are to go undercover and help stop a crazy person from doing crazy things and taking over the world. I guess that was sort of a spoiler but hopefully vague enough it won't give too much away.

As is usual with me and books I love, I found the characters in Stewart's novel absolutely DE-lightful. Bald little Sticky Washington, pint-sized Constance Contraire, the mysterious Mr. Benedict and his green suit...all inviting characters, well-written enough that I could picture them without illustrated help. The story moves along at a pretty good clip. My only complaint was that I could often predict what was going to happen before it did. I'm a fan of true "twists" that leave me shocked. Little of these twists did. Still, the book was an entertaining-enough read that I would recommend it to most anyone. Fun for all ages!

B+

Tarzan of the Apes - Edgar Rice Burrows (3.5 of 5 Bulging Biceps)

This is another of the books from my Darwin class this past semester. I had not read the book previously, but I had seen several theatrical versions of the Tarzan story. I feel that these other versions in someways made my reading of the book more difficult. I kept having to tell myself that the book was the original work and that the movies were the copies.

For those curious about going back to the roots of the Tarzan story, you'll most likely enjoy your experience. I was surprised to discover that it was the first novel in a series of 40 or so books. Move over James Bond. If you want to enjoy it as fiction, it's a quick enjoyable read. If you want to dig a little bit more, there is a deeper commentary here about human nature. Burrows believed that the epitome of mankind combined modern intelligence and technology with primeval strength and agility. Time and time again this belief is portrayed by Burrows in Tarzan's actions.

If you think you can read the book without hearing Phil Collins echoing in the back of your mind, I say go for it.

The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman (4.5 of 5 Hydrogen Balloons)

With all the negative comments I've heard about this book and the movie, I was somewhat concerned about reading The Golden Compass.  However, after finishing the book, I'm still trying to figure out what everybody was talking about.  Yes, there were a couple of discussions about the negative aspects of the Roman Catholic Church, but I don't see those comments extending to religion in general.

One of the most interesting elements of the novel is that every human character has a daemon that follows them wherever they go.  It is a shape-shifting representation of their soul.  The form of the daemons shifts constantly based on the mood of their humans' during their childhood and adolescence.  In their early adulthood their daemon takes on a permanent animal form.  The nature of animal reflects the personality of its human companion.  New aspects of this relationship between human and soul appear throughout the novel.  

Lyra Belacqua is a twelve-year-old girl living in at Jordan College.  When her friend Roger is taken by the Gobblers, a mysterious group that steals children, she and her daemon Pantalaimon set off the North to rescue him.  During her travels she meets the nomadic Gypians, an armoured bear named Lorek Byrnison, hydrogen balloon flying Lee Scoresby and the conniving Mrs. Coulter.

If you're like me and have heard the same rumors, I'd encourage you to give the book a chance.  I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel.  

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I picked up Ender's Game at the library after my little brother--who doesn't have much good to say about books--strongly recommended it. Its a book I've heard lots of people talk about, but I actually didn't know anything about the storyline, characters, etc. I was in for quite a surprise--and a treat!

Ender's Game takes place in a future time when desks are mini-computers, space colonization is possible, and the world has become a truly international society. Earth is in danger, however, from an alien world known only as The Buggers. Humankind has beaten them twice in the past, but a third attack is imminent. To combat the Buggers, the government breeds military genius kids to train in combat. Ender Wiggins is the genius--and hero--needed to lead the attack on The Buggers one last time.

I personally loved the story. Its science fiction--not usually a favorite--but I thought Card did a great job describing and explaining scienc-y things in a way I could picture and understand. And the story is gripping and got me reading and reading and not wanting to put my book down. And the end?! I totally didn't see that coming. Want to know what I'm talking about? Read it yourself.

A

The Water-Babies - Charles Kingsley (3 of 5 Mother Doneasyoudidbys)

This is another book from my Darwin class.  It was published back in 1863 by Reverend Charles Kingsley.  Charles told his readers that the book's purpose was to teach small children about the responsibility that they had become morally evolved individuals.  It is a somewhat effective attempt to mesh religion and evolution.

At the beginning of the book, the young chimney sweep Tom runs away from his abusive master.  During his escape into the forest Tom falls into a river.  It is then that the faeries turn him into a water baby.  What exactly that is, nobody knows, but it's some kind of tadpole thingy...  During his journey Tom encounters several animals that teach him about moral evolution.  Does he become an upstanding citizen of English society?  Probably, but I don't want to give anything away.

If nothing else I admire Kingsley for his subtlty...or lack thereof.  After many years of unsuccessfully trying to teach his religious ideas to adults, Kingsley decided that he might have more luck if he focused on children.  In the midst of lighthearted descriptions like Tom frolicking through the marsh, Kingsley dumps complex details about ideological battles between natural theology and evolution.  In the course of reading the book to their children parents would suddenly have to explain these concepts to their children.  Sort of like...hmmm...Wall E.  "Mommy, what's global warming?"

You might want to read this book for its historical value rather than literary value.  It was part of the British elementary education curriculum for much of the second half of the 19th century.

The Blue Between the Clouds - Steve Wunderli (3 of 5 Airplanes)

I just finished Steve Wunderli's first book, The Blue Between the Clouds. For those that are following the blog or who know Steve, The Heart of Halftime was his second book. I believe that he wrote the first book in 1992 and the second in 1996. While he himself told me that he liked his first book better, I enjoyed the second novel more.

The voice of the narrator in Blue is almost identical to the second book. The story is narrated by a young boy of about twelve years named Matt. It is set in a small town in central Utah in 1939. He and his Navajo friend Two Feathers run around town and get into trouble.

I think Steve had some good themes going in this book, but they are a bit underdeveloped. Both kids are fascinated with flying. This stems in part from their desire to escape their small-town futures. He pulls in the Icarus story a couple times, but it always seems a bit shallow. I acknowledge that you can't go too deep in a book geared toward young kids, but I still think he could have done more.

The plot seemed to wander and the stories weren't nearly as memorable as those in the second book. I'm pleased to see how Steve tightened up these weak points in his second book. In spite of its weaknesses, I'd still recommend that you read Blue. I bought it from Amazon for about five bucks. Let me know if you want to read it, and I'll pass it along to you.

The Goose Girl - Shannon Hale (4 of 5 Gusts of Wind)

Once again, I was the last one in my family to read The Goose Girl. And I'm the one that's supposedly studying English Literature at the University of Utah... Apparently it's not yet part of the literary canon. Ironically, my Dad worked with Shannon Hale at Allen Communication once upon a time. He'd have to clarify what exactly her job title was. I've listened to many family conversations about the book, but I'd never taken a gander for myself. Well, now I'll have something to say tomorrow night at Sunday dinner!

I enjoyed the book. It was a little slow getting started, but once it got going, it had enough momentum to keep me interested. The plot is somewhat predictable. From the onset, the Cinderella formula is apparent. If you go in for the plot, you'll be disappointed. By then end of the book, I was almost hoping that something would go wrong. It just seems that all the books I've read lately tie up all the loose ends in a nice pretty bow. Is this not the case with the majority of books out there? Why do so many of them end that way? Is it because authors don't believe that their books will sell if it they don't include a happy-ever-after ending? Why then do literature classes insist of teaching all of the books out there in which everyone dies? Do we indeed place more value on the "depressing" books, even though we enjoy the happy-ever-after stories more? Do we all just wish we could live out or lives in a fantasy world? I welcome any insights or discussion regarding these questions.

There are three elements of the book that I believe special attention and praise. The first is the poetic language that Shannon employs. This book makes for a fantastic bedtime story. The gentle sway of her words have a tendency to lull the reader into a pleasurable state of relaxation. The second is her treatment of magic, important but not overbearing. Her treatment of animal speaking, people speaking, and interacting with the wind was quite intriguing. And of course, number three, let's not forget the chickflickgoodness...

The Heartbeat of Halftime - Steve Wunderli (5 of 5 Titans)

For anyone not currently attending the University 16th ward, this review will not be nearly as amusing. Steve Wunderli is the second counselor in my bishopric. About a month ago his brother came to our ward to speak in sacrament meeting. During his talk he mentioned that his brother Steve had written a book. I can't speak for everyone else, but I was quite surprised to find out that we had a published author in our midst. I knew that he worked for Bonneville Communication, but I had never expected to discover something like this. What's more, he has another book called The Blue Between the Clouds, which I just ordered from Amazon.com for about five bucks. I couldn't find Blue at the library. Let me know if you'd like to read it and I'll pass it along to you.

The Heartbeat of Halftime is only about 175 pages, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The best way to describe it is the movie The Sandlot's equivalent to football. A bunch of eighth grade students at Olympus Junior High join together to try and take the state championship. Before this season (1972), they had won only two games. These wins were due to car accidents, arrests, etc. of the opposing team members, which left that with a significant disadvantage. A new kid, nicknamed Spray Can moves into town from Idaho. He's a big kid who give them new hope of taking the championship.

At the same time, Steve's dad is dying of cancer. Steve feels that he has something to prove to his father and everyone else. This subplot provided some additional depth to the story without being too sentimental.

It's everything you'd expect from a junior high/high school story: bullies, discovering girls, pranks, sports, dealing with parents, growing up, etc. I can't wait to get to church on Sunday and ask Steve how much of it is true. I know he was quite a handful when he was a kid. If this book is true, it surely cements that reputation.

One caution: The night before each game the boys from the Olympus team march onto the field to "mark" their territory... It's not crude in any way. It's just boys being boys. If by chance, you think you might be offended by this content, you might try Steve's other book.

Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

A little girl at heart, I finally broke down and read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine- something I should have done in fourth grade. Although a Newbery Honor book, this is hardly college literature. It’s a fairy tale, a Cinderella story- which I’m now realizing is a story line running around in more abundance than I’d ever imagined. I thought I’d seen them all by sixth grade, but no, I’ve discovered two since starting college. Not that it’s a bad thing. It’s the quintessential chick flick. You’d be hard pressed to find a girl who doesn’t appreciate the story of a young girl, who when thrown into deplorable and hopelessly dismal situations endures bloodthirsty foes, impossible fairies, and manipulative family ...and acts nobly anyway. There is something of a spiritual triumph in this simple act of one-sided nobility. It speaks to the prince and princess inside each of us and inspires us to live up to our title.

This particular rendition of the Cinderella story is fun because Ella is more of a realistic person than the Disney movie makes her out to be. She’s not perfect, and her disposition is not blindly submissive despite (or more accurately because of) the curse which was bestowed upon her at birth by an impertinent fairy to “Always be obedient”; she obeys orders, but only because the curse will not allow her to do otherwise.

She is a real person with real relationships with the people around her. Something the Bruno, Gus and Lucifer version doesn’t have that this one does is this: not only does Ella’s prince, Shar (prince Shar-ming, ha ha ha! :) sweep her off her glass-slipper shod feet, but they start as friends long before the prospect of marriage is considered. While not nearly as involved as a Jane Austin novel, similarities exist as their friendship is based primarily on intellect, interests, and conversation.

I recently found an old, beat up copy of The Slipper and the Rose while going through some videos. At my mom’s request I popped it in to see if it still worked. It did, barely, and I ended up watching the whole thing. Yup, another Cinderella story. The reason I bring this up is because I found it uncanny when just a week later I read Ella Enchanted and found that both Cinderella and Ella choose selflessness over their happiness when faced with practically the same situation. Their decisions in this instance are noble, but also make me positively sick. Fortunately neither The Slipper and the Rose nor Ella Enchanted end right there.

The story ends, of course “And they lived happily ever after”, however, I figure this came as no surprise to you. I guess it’s borderline spoiling, but this should in no way dissuade you from reading the book if you so desire- if you consider those people in real life who really do live “happily ever after” when the end of their story comes have the stories worth reading (take President Gordon B. Hinckley’s biography for example), knowing the ending won’t really ruin the read. Everyone should indulge in some fairy tales once in a while. I’ll bet Charles Dickens would even agree with me on that one.

I'd like to be a Puddlejumper now

I picked up Puddlejumpers by Mark Jean and Christopher C. Carlson, on a whim. I'd never heard anything about it before, but it sounded interesting enough. I enjoy young adult fantasy novels. This one fits right into the genre--a fantastical world existing right in the middle of our normal human one, or in the case of Circle, Illinois, right underneath our normal one.

Puddlejumpers are small earthy creatures that inhabit a world below the Up Above where all the humans live. They love MotherEarth and need water, and all sorts of good stuff. But something evil and sinister is coming to destroy their kingdom! Their only hope is an ancient prophecy that says a human boy will be born who will help save the kingdom. (Are you thinking Harry Potter at this point? Me too. But there aren't any wands in this one...) The Puddlejumpers find their prophetic Rainmaker in Shawn Frazier, watch over him for 3+ months in the confines of his own human home, and then kidnap him into the Puddlejumper world. Everything goes well until disaster strikes, the Puddlejumper world is infiltrated and the Rainmaker is LOST...or so it seems.

Fast forward a number of years and enter two kids, Ernie and Joey, who decide to solve the mystery of the kidnapped baby. Their entrance into the story starts the whole prophecy thing in motion again...and the great question is, will the Rainmaker return and save the Puddlejumper's world? Will he return and make it rain again?!

The story is very reminiscent of Harry Potter and every other "there's a boy and a prophecy" fantasy novel out there. But the book is also entertaining and creative enough to keep you from making too many connections to Rowling's books. The characters have heart--especially Ernie Banks--and I found myself reading for hours, unable to put the book down. Puddlejumpers is not the greatest book you'll read this summer, but its fun, easy, and you'll have a good time.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

Call me stubborn. Call me irrational. I’ve always avoided the books that everyone else was reading. For several years I successfully resisted the onslaught of Harry propaganda. But in the end, it was dinner conversations with the family that got me. Every night they unknowingly whittled down my defenses. I felt incredibly left out as they discussed the latest novel in the series. I faked a smile when they made confusing references to the Dursley’s, Professor Snape and the one whose name I cannot remember…

One night after everyone had gone to bed, I skittered into the living room and scanned the bookcase for the Harry Potter books. I pulled the first book off the shelf and stared at the cover. My will to resist the temptation to start reading wavered. I went back to my bedroom and quietly slipped back under the covers with the book in my hand.

I turned the pages quietly under the gentle glow of the bear lamp nightlight, so as not to wake my brother. Every time he stirred in the bed on the other side of the room, I slid the book under my pillow and lay down as if I were asleep. As soon as the breathing had slowed, I raised myself back onto one arm and continued reading.

Within a couple of hours I had finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The next night, I read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in the same manner. And that’s where it stopped. I quickly skimmed through the pages, concentrating primarily on getting the general plot summary so I could follow the family conversations. Seeking pleasure from the reading experience was far down my list of priorities. And, as you might imagine, that’s why I didn’t get very far. I never read book three and a couple of years passed before I even mentioned to my family that I had read the first two.

At least I enjoyed the movies. I contentedly watched while everyone else complained about how they left out that or put that in. The movie was the movie and I was none the wiser.

I vowed that I wouldn’t come back until the series was over and everyone stopped talking about it. I figured that time had come a month or so ago. I got on the library system and put the first few books on CD on hold. I decided I would make a genuine effort to slow down and try and gain some pleasure from reading the series.

Thankfully, it’s been long enough that I couldn’t remember how the first couple of books ended. It was still somewhat of a surprise when Professor Quirrell unraveled his turban or when Tom Riddle revealed his adult name…what was it again? It pains me to say that I did actually enjoy the first couple of books. I shouldn’t have waited so long to start reading them. Even though the plot structure of the first two books is rather predictable, Rowling does a great job of keeping the reader interested. I believe that one of Rowling’s greatest strengths is creating characters that the readers love and those that they love to hate. She devotes careful attention to making each character unique. She has a good feel for dialogue and a delightful sense of subtle humor.

Or…maybe it’s because we are all inescapably drawn to British accents.

What did you most enjoy/hate about the Harry Potter series? What was it that made Harry worldwide sensation?