HP progress

[averygoodun42]

I've managed to get through all of Sorcerer's Stone, and all of Chamberpots (which rereading post-HBP is a very different experience from reading pre-HBP! It's suddenly an important book with lots and lots of foreshadowing and clues and stuff), and I'm about a hundred pages into Azkaban.

My most dominant impression so far? Snape is a bastard. He's a git extraordinaire. He's not refined or noble at all. He spits. He curses. I bet he'd happily beat the children (especially Harry) if he had the chance. He's a generally all-round nasty guy. Azkaban, as I remember, will show him to be an immature, emotionally stunted, all-round nasty guy.

Yes, I'm sure there're excuses, but really, I'm getting sick of the noble!Snape fics.

I'm getting really sick of the moralizing!Snape fics (where Snape chastises Hermione or others on their careless, childish or actions). That's not Snape at all.

Anyway, that's my biggest impression. Other impressions are that house-elves re truly offensive characterizations, but Dobby is a lot smarter than we've given him credit for.

And Ron isn't as clueless as we make him out to be, either. He even manages to use sarcasm successfully every now and again.

And the twins are still awesome. She better not kill them.

Comments

[duniazade.livejournal.com]

"I'm getting really sick of the moralizing!Snape fics (where Snape chastises Hermione or others on their careless, childish or actions). That's not Snape at all."

How right you are! Personally, I like Snape because he is a nasty git - and a hero all the same.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Yes. Anti-heroes fit our time much better than straight out heroes, I think. That's why we all love our snarky git extraordinaire! :-)

[zalena.livejournal.com]

House elves are one of the things I totally despise about these books. The movies have done away with them almost entirely. The only thing sad about that is it reduces Hermiones character with her Elf Liberation Front, or whatever it is. Why couldn't she start the Society for Protection/Equality of Magical creatures. The elves aren't the only sentient creatures who are treated badly. Look at the centaurs.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Yes. It's... aggravating. The only good thing about having the house-elves there is that it does show how Harry reacts to the world: more by instinct and gut reactions than other people's opinions.

The centaurs wouldn't exactly welcome any help from Wizards or Witches, I think. It's a good representation of just how messed up systemic racism is.

[daintress.livejournal.com]

These are all very observant observations. Lol! Yes, fandom has glamorized Snape a bit - such optimism would likely get us killed if we ever found ourselves in the wizarding world. :)

I like both Dobby and Ron, so I will agree with you on both those points as well.

I was saddened at the movie's treatment of Fred and George. They've been relegated to trouble makers just when they'd finally become rebels with a cause instead! Oh well. :(

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

It would certainly get us killed if we found ourselves at Spinner's End!

Dobby is really annoying, but there's more there than just pluck. Ron I have always liked. He's an arse at times, but then, kids are arses most of the time, so I'd say he's doing pretty well.

The movie have... I don't liked the movies, mostly. I really liked Azkaban, but... you're right, the twins have been pigeon-holed into trouble makers whereas they're not just trouble makers. They are creative geniuses, really.

[daintress.livejournal.com]

I like the movies as entirely separate entities from the books.

And as I commented to my husband, Dobby isn't NEARLY as bad as Gollum. Lol!

[muggle-prof.livejournal.com]

The meltdown at the end of PoA and the comment about Hermione's teeth (GoF)have always struck me as the most unpleasant Snape moments. But I'm still holding out hope he's on the right side.
The idea that Ron is dumb -- that rests squarely on the shoulders of Steve Kloves, who has given all of Ron's good lines to Hermione in the films.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

The end of PoA is certainly the most dramatic Snape unpleasantness, but SS is full of Snape being a right git. I'm almost positive he's on the right side, but he's still someone I'd probably avoid in real life as much as possible, no matter how much I respect him for what he does.

The movies are... I... I'm still hoping tha tin about ten years or so Warner Bros. will okay an animated series of the books. Half hour episodes getting it all right instead of cramming and trimming and minimizing and pigeon-holing. I suspect that the reason Ron's lines have been given to Hermione in the movies hs as much to do with the actors as anything, but that's disappointing. Then again, I'm not fond of several casting choices... Oh, heck, I'm just not fond of the movies, period.

But I'm till shelling out to watch them. *sigh* I guess I'm paying for the right to criticize, eh? Lol.