Why, as someone who often enjoys the company of a good book more than I do some of my closest friends, had I never read any of the books? Imagine, if you will, a slightly arrogant teenager, who didn't want to enjoy what everyone else enjoyed. That was me. I would go against the grain of society for the pure sake of it. Just to be different. Harry Potter was popular, so I wanted nothing to do with it! There was also the fact that the films came out at the same time as the Lord of the Rings movies, much to my bitter disappointment. For me, it was a case of "one or the other", and Tolkien won this battle! Now I'd tried to get into Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone while I was at Uni (it was on the reading list), but I just couldn't get away with it. Harry had barely escaped that cupboard under the stairs before I'd slammed the book shut, gave it back to my dad, and complete my assignment on "The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe" instead (consequently I got a very good mark for this piece of work so I never thought to try it again). Fast forward to Summer 2009. I was 23, my own person regardless of what the whole world liked or didn't like, and looking for a really great read to get into. My options were Harry Potter, or the Twilight books. The lure of vampires and romance, as well as a strong recommendation from my best friend, was just too much for me, and I was under Stephanie Meyer's spell. Like millions of girls before me, I had fallen in love with Edward Cullen, and another obsession began (I'd like to say, that I am still, two years on, pretty much obsessed with all things Cullen!). I'd finished all of the books in no time, and read the series through twice. Harry Potter was no longer an option, I was hooked on the vampire genre!
After Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, my thirst for modern gothic novels was strong enough to keep me going in this direction, although my obsession with vampires brought me "Dracula", the Sookie Stackhouse series (I'm eagerly awaiting the release of book 11 next month), and The Vampire Diaries (I thought very little of these books, and much preferred the T.V show, something which is a rarity in my life), to name but a few. This went on well into 2010. I even did everything I could to look as much like a vampire as I could; gone were the quests to get a tan, I would remain pale and interesting, keeping my hair slightly darker than it's natural chocolate brown, and donned blood-red lipstick as much as was appropriate. My obsession was strong, and Bella Swan was my ultimate heroine. A forced purchase in Manchester Airport turned me slightly off track, and I found Steig Larsson and his character, Lisbeth Salander. I was in awe of the Millennium novels, and whipped through these as quickly as possible. The air of mystery that surrounds Larsson's death also intrigued me. Had I found a new genre of choice, Swedish mystery? Not quite. I am yet to read similar novels, but I will in the near future.
A busy autumn of last year meant that I had little time for reading, other than my weekly Heat magazine (I am sure I'm too old for this now), and my monthly treat which is Vogue. It was in mid December, on my way down the M6 to visit family, that I decided I needed to read more. Emma Watson, who I always assumed would irritate me to high heavens with her BBC English, was promoting Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1) on Radio 1. Something made me think that it was time to try the books, not expecting to enjoy them in the slightest. After all, which self-respecting adult wanted to read about an 11 year old boy playing with magic? I voiced my idea to set myself the challenge of reading the books on Facebook. Many of my "friends" encourage me to try them, I'd enjoy them, they said. It was one friend, Katy, who has always had a love of all things Hogwarts, that persuaded me to give the books a good go. Am I glad to have listen to Katy? You're damn right I am...
I read the first two books in no time at all. I found JK Rowling's writing to be enchanting and stylish, as well as excessively entertaining. Harry was not the little git that I thought he would be. Draco Malfoy irritated me as though he was one of my own classmates, and I fell instantly in awe of Hagrid. My favourite characters have always been Ron and Hermione, and they remained so throughout all of the books, Hermione slightly more so. The Prisoner of Azkaban was gripping, and I appreciated the darker side to the plots. I will hold my hand up and say that the Harry Potter books are far more than what I thought they were. I found friends and enemies in the novels, would sit and read them for hours on end without a break. Never in my life have I read with such enthusiasm. There's something about these books that stick with you, and I will certainly be reading them again, and will be passing these stories on to my children, and their children... it must be the magic!
Now I am at a loss. What to read next? I need something that is on par with the Potter books, although I am not bothered about the genre. I am looking for something epic, something spectacular, and something that might begin to fill the gap that Harry Potter left in my life the second that I finished the Deathly Hallows. Answers on a postcard (or in the comments box) please!
No comments:
Post a Comment