The Harry Potter Challenge ... and pomegranate tea...

As you can quite easily guess, for my weekly literary postings, I have decided to read the Harry Potter series.  I have been wanting to read these books forever.  Why haven't I yet? A couple reasons:

a) when they first came out, I was boycotting the whole series (books and movies) because, quite frankly, I was a rather pretension high school student and I thought they looked stupid and way over-hyped. Then my dad started reading them ... and having a lot of respect for him and his taste in books (it's where my love for them comes from, after all...), I finally decided that they couldn't be all that bad.

b) By that time, however, I had started college and between friends, homework, friends, classes, theater, friends, and theater, I didn't really have much time left for leisurely reading - at least not enough to take on HP.

Then came the decision to start blogging about literature. I really wanted to do HP, but didn't think it would happen since I don't have the books ... both my brother and father have them, but they live a small distance away - it wasn't likely that I'd get a hold of them soon.  Then, last Friday, I was having dinner at my in-laws, when my M.I.L. said that she had read my blog (this post) and had the HP books, if I wanted to borrow them.  Within about 2 minutes, I was holding the first three books in my hands. 

This was my face :D

My friend Kate has challenged me to read the series before the final movie comes out in July.  My response was "Challenge Accepted!"

For most people, this wouldn't be much of a feat, but I am a surprisingly slow reader, so this is a real challenge for me.

*sudden epiphany of brilliance*

I am going to make this interesting!

I need really to lose weight, so ... until I finish the HP series, not one ounce of sugar (with the exception of natural sugars in fruit, etc.) will pass my lips.

If I can finish by the time the last movie premiers, I am making a HUMONGOUS cake and celebrating ...

... If not ...

I will not eat sugar for another four months.

*GASP!*

Game. On.

Anyway, the first few books being quick reads, I did manage to finish the first book already (I've barely put it down).

My thoughts whilst mulling them over a cup of pomegranate tea?

I think I have a new love affair...

Seriously, whoever said these books were evil because they dealt with witchcraft and sorcery and magic, are insane!

Just as in Lord of the Rings/The Silmarillion, there are dark magic/powers ... and good, the same is true about HP.  Magic/Wizardry is neither good nor evil, it is a tool that can be used or misused towards either end.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is about using these powers to overcome evil.  It's the classic story that is been told a hundred times ... in the bible alone ... about good triumphing over evil.  

My favorite characters so far are:

Hermione Granger 

(ps-how do you pronounce her first name? I've never watched the movies, so I don't know)

Dumbledore

The Weasley Twins

(C'mon, they're just funny)

Surprisingly, I actually really like just about every character

(at least the ones I'm supposed to like).  I don't know why, I never seem to really care for the "hero" of the story - I can never really relate to them, but I like Harry well enough.  I even like Ron quite a bit.

Just curious - those of you who have read the books - who's your favorite character?