Thursday, August 6, 2009

mugglenet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died: Controversial Views from the #1 Fan Site

mugglenet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died: Controversial Views from the #1 Fan Site
written by Emerson Spartz and Ben Schoen

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1569757119.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

In their return book, Ben Schoen and Emerson Spartz decide to go for an interesting Q&A debate format. As they mention in the opening (which, by the way, incorrectly names the podcast 'MuggleSpace', which gets on my nerves), many of their views will get on your nerves, and I may be paraphrasing on that one. I found myself continually asking "Did they really have to go there?" and raging at the book. I almost felt like some of the debates, if not all, would have been better off if they'd been argued by fans, leaving the end result ambiguous and up to the reader to decide, as opposed to giving definite answers. The arguments are quick, concise, and compelling, sure to keep your attention in their fun, conversational tones. It really made me wonder what JK Rowling herself would think of some of these arguments, and I almost feel like there'd be some she'd certainly disagree with, although I won't pretend to know how she thinks. I think the one argument that bothered me most of all (and there were many) was the titular one, Should Harry Potter Have Died? I don't know, I kind of feel like if you're going to name your book Harry Potter Should Have Died, that should also be the conclusion you should reach in your debate, as opposed to "Harry should have lived." Maybe that's just me.

Rating: 4/5

1 comment:

  1. Interesting! I've been meaning to read this. Thanks for the review!

    ReplyDelete

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