I have a problem with Harry Potter

[LibraryLady]

No, not that he's a wizard or anything. It's that I'm stuck. I cannot get through Order of the Phoenix. I've tried four times now. It is so unremittingly miserable and upsetting, not to mention similar to my workplace, that I just can't get through it. I don't want to read the other books until I have.

Any suggestions?

 

[Jono]

No, not that he's a wizard or anything. It's that I'm stuck. I cannot get through Order of the Phoenix. I've tried four times now. It is so unremittingly miserable and upsetting, not to mention similar to my workplace, that I just can't get through it. I don't want to read the other books until I have.

Any suggestions?

See the movie, skip the book.

 

[LibraryLady]

Well, duh....

 

[aggle-rithm]

That movie angries up the blood.

 

[Piscivore]

You work for Delores Umbridge?

You're in good company- that's where my wife stopped reading too. The scene with the blood quill was the dealbreaker for her.

 

[Finster]

One of my favorite parts in any of the books is when Fred and George leave. The movie version was fun but the details in the book are much better (my opinion).

 

[Jon.]

Keep slogging and enjoy the bits with Dumbledore's Army. There's a good battle at the end.

I know what you mean, though. The bits where Umbridge punishes Harry (I won't go into detail in case you haven't read this far yet) were quite difficult to read.

 

[Soapy Sam]

No, not that he's a wizard or anything. It's that I'm stuck. I cannot get through Order of the Phoenix. I've tried four times now. It is so unremittingly miserable and upsetting, not to mention similar to my workplace, that I just can't get through it. I don't want to read the other books until I have.

Any suggestions?

Revert to reading adult fiction instead of daft stuff for kids?

 

[Jon.]

I also agree with Finster; the part where Fred and George leave - in style! - was quite good too.

 

[Piscivore]

One of my favorite parts in any of the books is when Fred and George leave. The movie version was fun but the details in the book are much better (my opinion).

YES!

Big damn heroes, ain't they just.

 

[azzthom]

You could try the audio book. The UK editions are actually rather good.

 

[LibraryLady]

I'm listening to the audio book read by Jim Dale, and have gotten farther than I have before. I'm at the Quidditch match. I just cannot tolerate Umbridge; she reminds me very strongly of people I deal with.

 

[jiggeryqua]

Revert to reading adult fiction instead of daft stuff for kids?

Yep. Don't even start. OK, too late, you started. Throw it away. Well, give it to someone you don't like or who doesn't much matter or donate it to a charity shop and let fate decide, it's still a book and there are principles that must be adhered to. At the very least, recycle it. But enlighten your self interest - skip to the end, skim for the closing details (it's a fallback position I've had to employ myself, I can't abandon an ill-chosen schlock novel without some sort of closure). Now read something excellent. If you haven't already, The Book Thief is an enduring delight.

 

[azzthom]

I'm listening to the audio book read by Jim Dale, and have gotten farther than I have before. I'm at the Quidditch match. I just cannot tolerate Umbridge; she reminds me very strongly of people I deal with.

It's worth sticking with it, and forcing yourself through. The Umbridge character is, unfortunately, supposed to be very unpleasant. I cannot, and will not, allow myself to ruin any surprises/shocks/twists/revelations etc, but I can say you won't regret continuing.

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

I couldn't get through the one Harry Potter book I tried to read. My problem was primarily that it's just not very good writing. IMO, there's way more very good literature than I will likely read in my entire lifetime, that I see no reason to force myself to read something I just don't care for.

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

Revert to reading adult fiction instead of daft stuff for kids?

This too. However, even in the realm of juvenile lit, there's plenty of really good stuff to read.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

No, not that he's a wizard or anything. It's that I'm stuck. I cannot get through Order of the Phoenix. I've tried four times now. It is so unremittingly miserable and upsetting, not to mention similar to my workplace, that I just can't get through it. I don't want to read the other books until I have.

Any suggestions?

It gets worse. If you are choking here, give up.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Keep slogging and enjoy the bits with Dumbledore's Army. There's a good battle at the end.

I know what you mean, though. The bits where Umbridge punishes Harry (I won't go into detail in case you haven't read this far yet) were quite difficult to read.

The person-who-was-supposed-to-be-my-father was a lot like Delores. I kept reading to see how JK would handle her.

 

[TragicMonkey]

If Harry Potter's getting all in your business, and harshing your buzz, you just smack him in the face. Don't let him push you around!

 

[JohnG]

No, not that he's a wizard or anything. It's that I'm stuck. I cannot get through Order of the Phoenix. I've tried four times now. It is so unremittingly miserable and upsetting, not to mention similar to my workplace, that I just can't get through it. I don't want to read the other books until I have.

Any suggestions?

I liked Order of the Phoenix; it's a testament to Rowling's skill that Umbridge is such a memorably unlikeable and realistic character, but yeah it's pretty unpleasant going through long stretches of the book. To be honest I thought the series peaked with Prisoner of Azkaban and the last four novels are shamelessly padded. She especially makes some odd choices in the last book on what she focuses on and what happens "offstage". Part of my problem is that I was never intrigued by Voldemort, at least not after the first couple of books. Snape was much more interesting but it felt like the more attention the books paid to Voldemort the less they paid to Snape and that was frustrating to me.

I enjoyed reading all of the books to varying degrees but I seriously doubt I'll ever reread any of them.