Our own little Harry Potter lookalike
As promised, Mike and Chris attended the big party at our local bookstore, Annie Bloom’s. I must confess that we have purchased previous editions from barnesandnoble.com, because we love the early-morning delivery. But because of our flight the next morning to Hawaii, and also because it’s the very last Harry Potter, Mike decided to brave the crowds and take Chris to one of the many parties around town. Annie Bloom’s had presold 900 copies—quite an amazing number for a small independent. Mike estimates that there were 500 people at the party, many of whom they knew (in the parking lot of John’s Market, for those of you who know that 500 people wouldn’t fit in dear Annie Bloom’s). Chris was able to be in the costume parade, and Mike was the lucky winner of a rare t-shirt: “Independent Muggles for Harry Potter!” (which Chris now owns)...
Mike and I both were able to do a bit of reading on the airplane, swapping back and forth. One of my coworkers from Seattle who came to Honolulu to help out with interviews finished the book on Saturday, so she lent us her copy. It wasn’t until Monday night, though, that we both finished it. I must be a slow reader, because we were in exactly the same place when the kids went to sleep, and Mike finished a good hour and a half before me. I stayed up until 1:00 a.m. to finish it.
Chris with friend Garen
The verdict from both of us: JK Rowling’s best story yet, and a great way to end the series. It wasn’t perfect (what book is?) and even though at first I thought she had tied up all the ends very neatly, later I realized that there were still a few hanging. The book was immensely satisfying, compelling, and filled with action.
Chris is finally reading the book now. It seems that as the series has progressed, it attracts more adults than kids. He has already commented, 150 pages in, that it’s too sad because so many people die. I think the dark tones of the stories have led him to slightly lose interest. The very first few books were much more geared to children.
If you have never read Harry Potter, I encourage you to dive in. But please start with the first book. You’ll miss so much if you jump in halfway.
Holding the book at last, at 12:15 a.m.!
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