Part 2.

Harry Potter is like an Asian serial drama. The following paragraphs are blasphemy for the legions of Harry Potter fans out there.

The first book started out intriguing and engaging. The characters were delightful. Serial dramas are the same way.

Book two spent an awful lot of time reminding the reader of what happened in book one. Books three and four picked up the pace a little bit as the characters got older, but weren't half as engaging as the first book. The dramas do the same thing--they drag after a while, the introduce a decent plot twist, but never regain the original momentum.

Book five dragged. It was far too thick for its own good. At this point, the dramas start pulling out the storylines, giving the characters ten-minute crying scenes to fill the time. Book five was better than this, because by now we've been guaranteed a nice plot climax in every book.

Book six was better than book five, but now I feel suckered. You would think with all the time they had to hype the book, and all the money they are charging for the book, they could have fixed the glaring typographical error early on in the book.

They used "site" when they meant "sight". I will update with a page reference if I ever get around to rereading it. I have at least six books on the in progress pile, including the delightful "Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader", by Bradley Martin. The latest Harry Potter was an impulse buy.

At this point in time in the drama, I have the theme song stuck in my head, I adore the actors I viewed with skepticism in the beginning, and I'm a love/hate relationship with the whole thing. I keep going because I want to know how it ends and because I've already invested so much time and effort. I hate myself for having gotten suckered in yet again and yet I'm loving the end of the series.

I feel the same way about Harry Potter. Please, just hurry up and finish it off so I know how it ends. I've invested enough time, effort, and money not to see how it ends.

Incidentally, Lord Voldemort reminds me of Kim Il-sung. You know, the personality cult, the constant need for adulation and praise, and the ability to use his charisma to gain the loyalty of so many of his people.