21.7.07

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

It's utterly geeky and in no way cool AT ALL, but I couldn't not mark this date. It's not very often that anything makes me want to cheer at the narration of events of which I approve (Fred and George's final, wonderful escape from Hogwarts after stirring open insurrection against Umbridge...with fireworks!), get goosebumps all over as I realise just how the tiny tiny bits of the puzzle all fit together (in eight years, Harry realising just who his Patronus was in PoA has never failed to make me slightly sniffly), and uncoolest of all, cry when someone I've loved despite their complete nonexistence in real life, dies. It's officially the end of possibly the greatest pop-culture phenomenon of my youth- even if, to me, it's a lot more than that- and it feels a little like standing on a pier waving a white hankie at it while it goes. And to the barmy old coots who grudge me my pleasure in a good read and tell me to read Beowulf instead, I say this proudly- I love this story. If you can't deal with that fact, you deserve to be told, as I tell you now, to go stuff yourselves.
P.S. No spoilers in my commentspace, please.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Woo hoo! I went for this thing at Harvard Square. They made it "Hogwarts Square" and there were rock bands with Potter themes - the headline act was called Harry and the Potters. Good fun. Lots of kids, teens and adults in costumes! Shall put up a post with pics etc. soon.

No spoilers please, once you've read the book. I can't get the UK version here, and I don't want to read the US version.

Blue Floppy Hat said...

On my word as a faithful CoS-er, no spoilers :) Harry and the Potters have been around for quite a while now, and that Hogwarts Square thing sounds like fun. Four of us got up early and parked outside Blossoms at 5 a.m. (just a little ahead of midnight GMT) and there was already a queue. I shudder to think of what might've happened if we'd ordered from a bigger store.
And I'd finished reading when I posted...as for getting the UK version, have you tried Amazon UK? They might deliver, though it'll cost more since the pound-dollar exchange rates are quite screwy.

Meg said...

Harry and the Potters played at my university town library earlier this year. I ordered my copy of Amazon, but yesterday morning I was out so the postman took it back to the PO and I can't get it till tomorrow morning...I'm only slightly depressed by it (where I say slightly, I mean really).

Anonymous said...

It's so epic. Truly, the end of an era. I grew up with the characters, and your hankie metaphor is perfect. I love the story, and will force feed it to my children. :D

Blue Floppy Hat said...

I'm still not over it, and keep wanting to cry on occasion.
I started reading the books when I was twelve and no one really knew just what the books were about, and somehow hung on to my childhood by the skin of its teeth using this. Now it's slightly depressing to have it all be over and think "OK now, time to be an adult."
I'm hoping my children, if I ever have any, will take to it on their own (via me cunningly leaving books in easy-to-reach places around the house).

The Spicers said...

So sad to see it end (the series I mean)! I took my time with book 7, dragging it out as long as I could stand...but I'm looking forward to reading the whole batch again to my kids.

Meg said...

So I remembered that we share a love for books about school and I've just discovered Collette's Claudine novels which I thought I'd recommend because I love them (though I'm still on the first at the moment.) And I also saw my first trailer for St Trinians. I'm excited.

Meg said...

^^^Damn, ignored the Claudine part, I just saw it in your profile. Duh.

Zee said...

harry potter rules!!!!

Emma said...

OH GOD SQUEEE INDEED. I just left a comment on Molly's blog Squeee-ing about HP, how odd and psychic and cool. I was amazed by the last book and the series in general. How one woman creates a world like that I'll never know.

Blue Floppy Hat said...

EMMA!!!! You're back!

Liberty London Girl said...

I love HP too - & reviewed both the book and the film on my blog (no spoilers!). There's no reason why you can't love fashion and HP - And I speak from experience being a real life fashion editor!

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