A Whole New World...

Now, I'm pretty sure that what I'm about to write has all been written before, and what I'm thinking has all been thought before, and I'm pretty confident that most people will agree, J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series are genius.

After spending the morning getting breakfast in the pie car and playing the card game Zombie Fluxx (an awesome game btw, I highly recommend it), I spent almost the rest of the train ride to Kansas City reading the seventh Harry Potter book. After I saw the last movie, I wanted to go back and re-read it, since I had only read it once and I wanted to refresh myself with all the details. And as I was reading it I realized that not only is the story amazing, but the writing is pure gold.

J.K. Rowling's narrative is so captivating, that literally within minutes of reading I am completely taken in the world she has created, and everything around me seems to disappear. If anyone is ever looking for a brief escape from their real life, I would tell them to read any of the Harry Potter books, and feel their worries vanish.

I realized what's so smart about her writing is that it allows the reader to create this highly-detailed world in their mind, without the reader realizing he or she is doing so. The details are woven so well and discreetly into the narrative, the you can't help but get swooped into the world, without feeling like you are reading a laundry list of descriptive narrative. And she also utilizes all five senses. Not only can you see Bill and Fleur's cottage by the sea, but you can almost smell the sea air, hear the waves, feel the linen tablecloth, and taste the refreshing pumpkin juice.

Of course the story itself is incredible, and I think it really branches out to all kinds of people. There are so many different personalities in the book, both likable and undesirable, that I think it would be hard for a reader not to relate to at least one character in the series. And of course the series touches on so many issues that we as humans can relate to and make it relevant to our own lives: issues of morality, equality, government power, mass media, right and wrong, good vs. evil, revenge, pride, jealousy, fear, hate, greed, loyalty, friendship, and of course, love. Not saying that other novels and stories don't cover these subjects, or that anything said is shockingly new or enlightening, but the way that she is able to convey all these topics and issues and real-world problems into a fantasy novel that is comprehendible and exciting for all ages is truly masterful and unique.

The Harry Potter series truly is a new classic that will be passed down for generations and is probably one of the greatest series of our time. And I think that anyone who disagrees hasn't been able to really look at the work as a piece of literature and still needs to discover how it feels to be riding that train off to their first day at Hogwarts.

P.S. there is something about reading Harry Potter on a moving train that makes it extra special, and I recommend trying it at some point :)