> In most fantasy there's really nothing risked. There's no struggle,
> there's
> never any feeling that what happens is real, or matters. The good guys
> *will* win, none of the major characters will die, and when the story is
> done, it's done. No loose ends, no wondering about what happened after
> the
> story, no sense it will go on without you or ever existed before you.
> When
> his characters make choices -- there are consequences. Choice and
> sacrifice
> are always significant issues in his writing. And while there's always
> some
> sort of tragedy/sadness, it's always redeemed in some way by something
> transcedent. Bittersweet covers it nicely.
>
> I wonder if that's, in part, on of the attractions of the Harry Potter
> series. People die. There are choices. There are consequences of wrong
> choices. Characters are affected by what has happened as a result of
> their choices and losses. I wonder if it's the feeling of risk that has
> contributed to people of all ages being hooked - and to the Far Right
> religions (not just the Christians) trying to prevent their kids from
> reading the series.

Interesting idea.
I do like the fact that the Potter books don't sugar coat anything. I
believe kids know far more than adults give them credit for, and denying the
truth of something they sense/feel/see/hear or covering it up with a layer
of nice does them a terrible dis-service. But it's not that that grabs me.

I just like the story :)

but I also like the way she's presenting characters...

Someone seen as evil/bad may not be so (Sirius Black)
Someone appearing good may be evil (Mad Moody)
Someone acting like they know everything may in fact not (Gilderoy Lockhart)
that the powerless have power (Harry, and any number of other characters)
that the poor aren't worthless (Ron and his family)
that the rich aren't necessarilly good because of their money (Malfoys)

and on and on and on... and that's without delving into the symbology all
through the books (Christian in tone even if the religious right screeches
it's Satanic)

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