I already finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

[SharonRB]

I figured it would take me the rest of the summer, but I had lots of time to read this weekend and got it done in two days. It was great and sets up the final book very well at the end.

I promise no spoilers! The only thing I will say is that I think there's a dig at Shrub in the firat paragraph.

Anyone else start it yet?

[Berry Cool]

1. You mean the reference to "the President of a far distant country"

as a "wretched man" in the eyes of the Prime Minister?

LOL!

I had a feeling there would be a bit of politics in this book--especially because, by the end of the previous one, it's obvious that a war is about to start in the wizarding world that has potential to spill over into the Muggle world. And that's precisely what I can see is happening in this book. I've only read the first chapter so far--so please, no, don't spoil it for us! In fact, I find the happenings spoken of in the first chapter quite unfortunately paralleled by what's been happing of late in the real world...I'm sure Jo Rowling never dreamed things would turn out that way, but sheesh...it only makes the whole Harry Potter universe seem more believable.

I imagine that it won't be long (and if it hasn't happened already, it will definitely be happening in years to come) before scholars will critically examine the way the Harry Potter series incorporated the current events of its time--the way that terrorism and war became a part of Harry's world in the form of the re-gaining of the power of He Who Must Not Be Named, and the books in the series became darker as world events became darker. They are definitely being influenced by what is going on in the real world today.

[WolverineDG]

2. Damn straight Sharon

That's definitely a dig at shrubbie. I saw on another Potter thread on DU that there's another reference to him further on...I'm at about the pg. 350 mark, haven't seen it yet, but have seen allusions to the crap this administration has done in the name of "homeland security."

dg

[SharonRB]

6. I didn't notice another one -- let me know where it is if you find it

[RevCheesehead]

3. Sounds like it could also double as a dig at the Fristians.

Yet another reason to condemn and burn Harry Potter books. :evilgrin:

And yes, I preached about Harry Potter today. Please - like people can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality. :eyes:

[Berry Cool]

4. Joe Scaryborough can't

He's having a whole show on the "good and bad" messages in the books. *sigh*

[WolverineDG]

5. What?

You mean I can't really fly on a broomstick or watch a Quidditch match or send my kid to Hogwarts??? :wow:

Gosh, Rev, first you go & tell me Darth Vader is Luke's father & now this.....my whole week is shot.... :cry: :cry: :cry:

j/k :evilgrin:

dg

[Berry Cool]

7. LOL.

Anyway, I too am seeing a whole lot of parallels between the real world and HP's world in this book as I read on. The whole emphasis on bogus "security" measures is a BIG similarity. Even Mrs. Weasley's clock, which contains a hand pointing to the situation each member of the family is in, and the fact that every single hand seems to be pointing at "mortal peril" most of the time...it's like the Harry Potter Universe version of a color-alert system! Life lived constantly at Code Orange!!