I know. You all know that I'm on vacation. You all know that I read voraciously - but especially when I'm on vacation at our wee cottage on Rehoboth Bay.
No, I haven't yet read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" .
Yet.
I start today. I'll be packing my little lunch container in a few moments. I have my nifty-galifty beach chair - the one you can carry like a back pack (because it has one built in) - packed with a beach towel, sunscreen (My fav 'Ocean Potion' 50 SPF with special anti-aging formula - watch the comments, Maddy - and a great scent), my special beach sun glasses, a beach cover up for those times the sun hides behind a cloud and I get cold and, of course, THE BOOK.
Ms. Conroy actually went to Atlantic Books in Rehoboth last Friday night for the THE REALLY GREAT BOOK LAUNCH. She hasn't missed a one of the Harry Potter book launches. She wasn't about to miss the last one.
She takes great delight in watching the kids squeal with delight and excitement about reading. They get all dressed up in costume and share stories of their favorite characters while waiting in line. She sort of lurks about, listening in and joining the conversation when invited - an occurrence that brings her no end of joy. "I mean," she says with no small amount of awe, "to have a child invite an adult into that kind of conversation. Well, that's quite an honor!"
She says this puts her in mind of her own youth, waiting for the next installment of the NANCY DREW MYSTERY series. She continues to be hooked on series of mystery novels. She loves everyone from David Manuel to Harlan Coben to Sarah Paretsky, Patricia Cornwall, Andrew Greeley and even Janet Evanovich. But, her favorites remain Julia Spencer-Flemming and Ellis Peters.
Her favorite gift of all time was when a dear friend gave her the entire paperback collection of Ellis Peters. From the look on her face, and for just a moment I thought she had died and gone to heaven. So did she.
I know some of you are depending on me for a report on my take of the last in the series of Harry Potter. I take this great responsibility with seriousness and care. I hope to have a full report before the end of the week. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, it would be perfectly lovely if some of you who have read THE BOOK want to share some of your impressions. Just don't reveal the ending, okay?
The REALLY BIG FUN is about to begin! Onward!
13 comments:
My children told me that I was the family's secret shame because I had not read ANY Harry Potter yet. So I have spent the last week reading 6 of them. To say that I am OD'd on Harry would be an understatement.
I shall be down the way at Ocean City reading #7 as well!
I envy you the sun, the surf and the day-with-a-book-to-read-all-day-if-you-want-to. Enjoy every second of it!
I've already emailed my friend Kay ... the fastest reader on the planet ... who read Book Seven cover to cover between its arrival on Saturday morning and 2:30 Sunday afternoon (with time out for church in the morning.)
I stand in awe.
And I -- who always reads the last page first and am convinced I'm a Christian because I already know the end of the story and it's a happy ending -- also made her tell me the end.
Which she did.
And which I promise not to share.
For preparation, I reread volume 6 over the week previous to 7's coming out, and I watched the latest movie with my 11 year-old niece, for whom it was a second viewing, despite the fact that the movie'd been out less than a week at that point.
I started volume 7 late Saturday morning, and, after taking off most of Sunday for churchy stuff, finished it yesterday afternoon. I'd taken Monday as a vacation day just for this purpose.
I thought it was flawed but overall very well done. Certain things I had a strong emotional need to see happen happened. It was a good satisfying read. I'm a bit sad to see the series end, but it feels nicely rounded off now.
Now to convince all those kids they really don't need to reread it 187 times because there are LOTS of OTHER good books out there. 3 or 4 times would suffice. ;-)
Oh, and Sunday at the Cathedral there were many HP fans in evidence. Some (including the Dean) had just begun vol 7, others finished just before the service, others of us had our half-finished books in our tote bags with us. Cries of "Don't tell me!" could be heard. At the Prayers of the People I offered a prayer of thanksgiving for creative people among us, especially writers, and that weekend in particular for Jo Rowling. There were snickers and head nods. :-)
Priscilla
You two have a lovely vacation, Elizabeth. Ms. Conroy sounds like a kindred spirit to me with the mysteries, going all the way back to Nancy Drew.
I don't get much time to read during the week, but made it about a third of the way through the book over the weekend. I can't bring myself to read any one else's comments as I want to get "there" all by myself.
I love Julia Spencer Fleming,too.
My son is 15 and grew up with HP--we haven't missed a book launch either; in fact I live-blogged this one! He stayed up most of the night and finished at 9am with a couple of hours of sleep thrown in. I finishd Saturday night after time off for a 5 pm service.
I won't leave any spoilers here...just saying it was good but not perfect. But what is?
:D I'm on vacation too. but I'm still waiting for Canada Post to deliver Harry Potter.
A few years ago I truly resisted reading any of the HP series, because I thought they were too 'trendy.' One summer I decided I should read at least one in order to be culturally relevant, and within a week I ended up reading them all.
Blessings to you as you get some well deserved rest.
Have a good time! Since I've now read HP #7, I'm starting all over again with #1. Am going to go straight through, like transplantedokie. Enjoy yourself!
I cried ....
Good book! Much in the way Star Wars Episode III, while not a better movie than IV (and certainly no where near V) - there was satisfaction in the ends being tied together!
I am almost finished reading Book 7 for the 2nd time - the first time through, I was a bit desperate to know WHAT HAPPENS, and had promised myself not to sneak any looks ahead - a promise I kept! The second time through is helping me to keep some of the magical details straight, and enjoy how the author gives all the information while giving nothing away. I won't give anything away, either. I will say that redemption is a key theme. The author is kind to some unexpected folks, and very few characters are left in a state of unredeemable evil. I cried three or four times, including some of the happiest moments. As I'm rereading, I'm enjoying the lighter moments more, especially the banter between Harry, Ron,and Hermione. I love the portrayal of the threefold friendship between them; it feels all too real.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
I am learning to be a Lutheran this week so I am reading the Augsburg Confession. Harry Potter would be a refreshing alternative! Meanwhile I will live with Law and Gospel for 3 days more.
Now I can enter this conversation. I went out last night and bought a copy. I'll work on it over the weekend at the beach.
p.s. I have a three (3) DVD set of Cadfael (The Virgin in the Ice, The Devil's Novice, St. Peter's Fair). If Ms Conroy is interested, I can get them to you when you get back.
Elizabeth-Knowing you, I have no doubt that Harry Potter will appear in one of your future sermons.
I finished my copy in 2 days and had to keep calling a friend in NJ to see where she was, as my husband and nephews haven't started yet and didn't want me to talk about it in front of them.
Ask Ms. Conroy if she is familiar with mystery writer Deborah Crombie? Her latest book is "Water Like a Stone." Crombie is an American but her characters are English.
Both of you have a wonderful relaxing vacation with your books.
(If Google messes up my comment this time I'm going to take my wand and zap them with an Imperius curse or something like that!)
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