I have been loving Harry Potter ever since I was about, 6. I've watched all the films, but, (guiltily) I never finished reading the series. I read the first two many years ago, and read the third book some time last year, but now I have made a point to finish the series (finally) for 2014.
The book I have just finished reading is the fourth one,
The Goblet of Fire. It's a pretty big book, weighing in at 636 pages (ha), but out of pure enjoyment and determination, I managed to finish it in one week. I have to say, it is the best book I have read in a while. I'd forgotten how great the Harry Potter series was, and now I can't wait to start the next one!
J K Rowling is such a great writer (well, obviously). One thing I noticed is that she tends to use the same adjectives to describe reappearing characters or creatures - initially I thought this was kind of bad, but I realised that it is to keep the same image appearing in your head so you remember exactly what the character looks like, which is a clever way of creating a really clear picture that stays with you to produce memorable characters.
Another thing I liked about this book is the amazing plot. There are so many interesting things going on at once, and everything just links together oh-so-perfectly, along with heart-jolting plot twists and a fabulous ending. There were so many little details about the story that were just not included in the film, for example when Hermione started the campaign against cruelty to house-elves, and then all the hate she got because of Rita Skeeter. None of this was in the film at all, and it is lovely to have extra things going on. It gives the story a whole lot more depth, as if you are there too.
This was one of the books that I get so into, that it feels like I'm playing a film inside my head. It's so captivating and sometimes I forget that I am reading because of the vivid imagery Rowling uses. Once I start, I just can't put it down and I keep telling myself 'Just one more chapter...' but it ends up being about 5, and before you know it - you've finished the book!
If there wasn't another book in the series, I would have been very upset to have finished it. I kind of gained an 'emotional attachment' to this book, because I took it with me everywhere I went because I just loved reading it so much. It felt like Harry, Ron and Hermione were my friends and I was on this adventure throughout Hogwarts with them, again owing to Rowling's fantastically realistic writing techniques.
The only slight negative thing I found with
The Goblet of Fire is that it took a while to get into. I found the first few chapters very long, and it felt like they were dragging on a bit. But once I got past them, once Harry got to Hogwarts, everything got going and it was amazing.
If you haven't read the Harry Potter series, then I seriously recommend it. I've already gotten one of my best friends obsessed, she's reading it with me!
And of course if you have, I'm sure you know how great it is ;)
