I love to read. It is one of my favorite pastimes. In fact, it's pretty much top priority in my life. But sometimes I feel indulgent. Like maybe, I should have a little bit of human interaction. Just a theory, you know? So, HP and the Goblet of Fire took much longer than it would have if I had just holed myself up in my room and read like the hermit I know I can be.
Yet, despite my snail's pace it was, as always, an enjoyable read.
GoF (as I intend to call it) has a lot going on it. First of all it starts out with the Quidditch World Cup and all the Death Eater torturing muggles/Dark Mark shenanigans. That is intense stuff. But the Quidditch bit is great. Viktor Krum and that Wronski Feint (Wonky-Faints). What a guy.
Then there's the whole Triwizard Tournament thing. The tournament itself is fascinating but what happens in between intrigues me even more. The hardest part of that book is when Ron stops talking to Harry. I hate it. I can't stand it. It bothers me. I wish it would stop. I sped through that period just so I could get to the first task (dragons! squee!) and Ron would stop being such a prat. Silly Ron. Harry was just entered in the tournament so he can be a valuable asset to the bring Voldemort back from the almost dead association.
Wait. WHAT?
Exactly. The whole ordeal with Voldie coming back into a corporeal form is a BIG DEAL. The first time I read this a part of me knew it needed to happen but didn't want to accept it. HP goes from happy-go-lucky to all hell breaks loose at the drop of a hat. The Crouch story is crazy. Death Eaters man. I don't even understand how Barty Crouch Sr could even live with himself after all that. Plus, by the end there were so many people being controlled by the Imperius Curse I didn't even know what was what - Barty Crouch, Jr. and Senior, Viktor Krum, Mad-Eye Moody, almost Harry. But Harry don't play that.
Okay, so Voldemort returning from almost death is scary. The visual of the potion turning colors as each vital ingredient (Bone, Flesh, Blood) is alarming and slightly disturbing. Plus the whole evil, baby Voldie is really quite disturbing. (Tom Riddle is a PRIME CANDIDATE for the Evil Baby Orphanage. Is there an EBO for fictitious evil? There should be. Somebody e-mail John Green.) But when Voldemort finally rises and starts gallivanting about, I can't take it. He is such a power hungry, son of a b. I do not approve of the misuse of power, nor of leadership by pure fear and force. Voldemort embodies every evil dictator that has ever walked this fine planet. That makes Voldie pretty damn wicked.
Another awful thing is Cedric Diggory. Oh Cedric. Didn't he realize this was how it was going to end? I mean, Harry is the hero. What did he expect? Poor Cedric. Just a spare. He's just this spare guy. Ahaha. I really shouldn't find it funny but there are just too many HP parodies. Anyway, Cedric's death is a bad one. It's the first one of many. SO MANY. Oh Jo, you break my heart.
Also, there's Neville Longbottom and the Cruciatus Curse. When Neville starts freaking out in Defense Against the Dark Arts, the first time you read, it is not know that his parents were driven insane by Crucio! But on the subsequent reads, his reaction to the spell being cast on that spider is just heartbreaking. Poor Neville. His life is so rough. But more on that soon. Book 5 is just around the corner.
Now, I'd like to add a little ray of sunshine in this tunnel of doom, gloom and evil wizards.
The Yule Ball. I LOVE RON AND HERMIONE. They are both so dumb and this is the first example of their clear infatuation with each other. It is BEAUTIFUL. It just makes me excited for later.
Next, SPEW. Oh Hermione. You love house elves. It's adorable. I appreciate the effort even if it is slightly misplaced.
Finally, Harry giving Fred and George the Triwizard winnings was the best possible thing he could have done. People do need to laugh. They need to remember there is good in this world especially in dark times. That's why humor is so cherished. Well done Harry.
Brace yourself for teenage angst in the next installment of HP and moi.
J-Stillz
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