This was my second reading of the book and I really enjoyed it. I think I actually enjoyed it more this time around than I did the first time, which wThis was my second reading of the book and I really enjoyed it. I think I actually enjoyed it more this time around than I did the first time, which was about 10 years ago. I love Bilbo Baggins as the unlikely hero, the gentle man who is a hero through luck and honesty....well, mostly honesty. I don't think that when I read it the first time that I knew it was a "kids book." I definitely recognize that now, and sometimes it felt like the morals were getting shoved down the readers' throat. That said, it was an enjoyable re-visit to the world. I think that I'm going to have to read The Silmarillion and at some point re-read The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
I have this book in dead tree, Kindle, and audiobook formats. I ended up reading it mostly on my Kindle. Though I liked the narrator, I found his voice almost too soothing and too quiet. I found it hard to hear/understand him unless I was in a quiet room, so it was hard to listen while I was driving or out walking. He did a great job, when I could hear him, but I found it much simpler to read before bed....more
The follow-on to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, in this book, we get a significantly deeper view into the life of Lisbeth Salander. I think one of tThe follow-on to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, in this book, we get a significantly deeper view into the life of Lisbeth Salander. I think one of the best parts of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was that it kept me guessing to the very end, not being sure who was the bad guy. This book was slightly different in that respect, as the "bad guy" was revealed earlier in this book than the previous book. Even with the "early" reveal, though, it was a quick-paced adventure that took a ton of unforseen turns. If I had to have one complaint, it's that the ending was fairly abrupt...I really can't wait for the 3rd book!!...more
Book 1 of a trilogy, this tells the story of the early days of an innkeeper currently calling himself Kote. Wish I could say more, but there'd be a loBook 1 of a trilogy, this tells the story of the early days of an innkeeper currently calling himself Kote. Wish I could say more, but there'd be a lot of spoilers if I did. It's really good, I can't wait for book 2....more
I really hated this book. I liked the idea of what he did, but Mortenson comes off very preachy. He also tells the story as if he can do no wrong and I really hated this book. I liked the idea of what he did, but Mortenson comes off very preachy. He also tells the story as if he can do no wrong and nothing ever went bad because of him, but bad things happened to him. I gave up after the obligatory 100 pages.
Funnily, long after I gave up on this, 60 Minutes did a piece alleging that parts of the book are completely made up. In light of this, the publisher is reviewing the allegations and the truth in the book. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainme......more
This one was a great read. It also completely freaked me out. I read it at a time when I was on business travel in an isolated resort town in northernThis one was a great read. It also completely freaked me out. I read it at a time when I was on business travel in an isolated resort town in northern New Jersey. Nothing like reading a book where there is a character who preys on transient females in an isolated resort town! Seriously, every time I looked out the window and saw "someone" there (my reflection, I freaked out, and that is what made this book so great....more
I re-visited this book this year because one of my book clubs (the one I'm admittedly not as participatory in as I should be) is doing a HP series re-I re-visited this book this year because one of my book clubs (the one I'm admittedly not as participatory in as I should be) is doing a HP series re-read, and I thought it'd be fun. But immediately after it started, i got behind schedule. I'm pretty good like that. But even though I'm way behind schedule and likely won't be able to catch up, I figured I would still re-listen to all the books. And yes, that's re-listen. I could fly through the books and catch up by reading them in print. But I wanted the chance to re-visit them in a little more intimate way...but more on that in a few sentences.
The Harry Potter books are like a warm blanket for me. I started reading them as I finished up undergrad, having been introduced to them by a caver who I don't think I could call a friend but was definitely someone who enjoyed caving as much as I did. Anyway, she introduced me to the books and I became hooked. The first book that I could get "first edition" was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I was still in college when it came out, a poor college student, so my mom ordered it from Amazon (back when they were a much smaller thing). I read it first, though, since I could read quickly. The love of the story continued through graduate school and my first job out of college. I ended up going to midnight book release parties and midnight showings of most of the movies. I often listed to the US audiobooks (narrated by Jim Dale) when I'm having problems sleeping. His voice is so grandfatherly...it's like being read a bedtime story. So...the books and stories are nothing new to me.
This time around, I'm listening to the UK editions read by Stephen Fry. Fry is a narrator I've thoroughly enjoyed in other books, but wasn't sure how he'd compare to Jim Dale. I'm happy to report that I think I like him better, certainly for some voices, at least. I definitely prefer his Hagrid to Dale's. And, at least in this first book, Fry seems to use a less whiny voice for Harry, which I far prefer.
So, aside from new voices, there isn't much here that I didn't know from before. I mean, I have read the series probably more than 10 times in all. So I thought I'd note some things I always found funny. But on the off chance you haven't read this book (why the heck not?!), I'll put it in a spoiler tag.
(view spoiler)[ I liked the UK-isms this time around. Like Dudley saying "shan't" instead of "won't" in the first chapter. Or football = soccer. Or studying for exams being "revision." It was something new to me and fun.
The news caster reporting on the owls in the first chapter is named "Ted." Both audiobook editions make it sound like Ted is chuckling at the news of the owls, like he knows more than the others. Tonks' father was a muggle named Ted....maybe?
I've always wondered why, if injuries can be healed magically, would someone have a nose that was "obviously" broken before? Of course, I'm referring to Dumbledore. I think that this is great foreshadowing (now that I know it) to the burden he carries with him about the fight with his brother.
How do people have clothes on them when they transfigure from animal to human? In the book AND the movies, we see that when they transfigure from a human to an animal, they shed their clothes...
"He turned on his heel..." gives us the first glance of apparation.
I like the name of Dudley's school, Smeltings. Do they melt kids down and rebuild them?
I wondered how Lily could come home and do magic like "turning teacups into rats" as Aunt Petunia complains. What about the restriction for underage wizardry? Is that something that didn't always exist?
Hagrid mentions the families that Voldemort killed, including those in the Bones family. We then see another Bones in Harry's class.
Hagrid saying that there wasn't much human left in Voldemort and that he wasn't dead was good foreshadowing.
Hagrid says that there are dragons at Gringotts. Something we don't pay much attention to until much later in the series...
The first time I went to King's Cross station in England, I won't lie, I was a little disappointed.
Interesting that Quirrell didn't have Voldemort "with him" when he saw Harry the first time in the Leaky Cauldron. It only came about after he failed to steal things out of Vault 713. How did he do that, anyway? We know from this book and later in the series that it's ridiculously difficult...he doesn't seem strong enough to do it to me.
What's up with Rowling describing everybody with long noses or fingers or feet?
Why is Ron allowed to have a rat? The letter says owl, cat, or toad.
Why is there so much focus on Neville's toad?
LOVE the names for the class books.
There is a lot of world-building of Hogwarts in this book. Not all of it comes back into play in later books, I wonder if originally more was intended to be used in later books...
Dean's club is West Ham. Wonder if that's Rowling's club. I'm an Arsenal girl, myself...
At some point in this book, the point system went from piddly points (less than 10 points here or there, awarded and taken away) but toward the end, McGonogall takes away 50 points per student. And Dumbledore awards lots of points. Why did it start so...slow?
Why on earth would Snape go to Filch for help with his injuries from Fluffy?
"Potter for President" banners at the quidditch game. Why? Is that a thing in the UK to do? They don't have a president...
LOVE Lee Jordan's commentary on the quidditch matches in this book and others.
What does it imply that Ron is great at chess while Percy and Hermione are awful and Harry's middling? I mean, sure, it's a vehicle for later in the book, but is there deeper meaning...?
Why is Peeves so afraid of the Bloody Baron? Do we ever find out?
Love the scene with the devil's snare when Hermione temporarily forgets she's a witch. ;) (hide spoiler)]...more
I enjoyed the entire series, but I felt like the ending was a bit rushed. I felt like Weeks spent so much time discussing the battle (which got a bit I enjoyed the entire series, but I felt like the ending was a bit rushed. I felt like Weeks spent so much time discussing the battle (which got a bit boring to me, to be honest), that he didn't leave enough time to explain the resolution a little more...it seemed like it was a bit too neat....more
terpkristin
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