Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (audio)

So here we are, ten months and 1 week later. Effectively, my kids spent their entire 4th and 6th grade years listening to the Harry Potter Series on audio, and what a wonderful journey it was! My daughter and I had read the entire series in print many times (with the exception of the last book), but nothing quite compared to the audio experience in the capable hands of Jim Dale. Now when it came to the final mac-daddy, we were more excited than with any other. After all, there is no movie yet to ruin everything. Plus, I’d only read the book once, like a crazed fiend in a death race, right after it was released. Except for major plots, I’d honestly forgotten all the details.

So instead of regurgitating everything that happened, I’ll leave you with some of my personal highlights and comments (spoilers ahoy maties, for those wish to remain untouched):

* Return of the Nazis. After the death of Dumbledore, and Voldy took over, it was nothing less than a reign of terror, closely resembling Nazi Germany. One-sided interviews/witch-hunts were being conducted by none other than the abhorrent Delores Umbridge, trying to identify muggle-borns so they could be tortured and persecuted. It was chilling. Too bad the Centaurs didn’t finish her off when they had a chance.

* I refused to believe he is really gone. When I read this book initially, I kept looking for loopholes that would indicate that Dumbledore was still alive. I was in serious denial. Even though I knew this time around that he was decidedly dead, I still had a childish wish that I’d missed something the first time around. The blue eyes in the mirror shard? The doe patronus? HE CAN’T BE GONE! HE’S JUST IN HIDING!

* The first half of the book was really SLOW. To me, it seemed like Harry, Hermione and Ron were doing a lot of aimless running around. After about mid-point, however, it picked up steam and everything was ‘splained. There are absolutely no loose ends here, which, after ten months, I would have no patience for the existence of such. On the other hand, while motivations and sordid histories are laid out naked before us, and all the questions that we had accumulated for the last 10 months were answered, it did seem a bit contrived. I could almost envision Rowling adding that little purgatory conversation between Harry and Dumbledore as the last ditch opportunity to answer anything that was left unresolved. And was I the only one that thought the epilogue was just a bit much? It was sweet and all, but could we get any more predictable?

* Bad guys turn good. I loved the fact the Kreacher and Harry found common ground and some affection for each other. I loved the fact that Snape was redeemed, even if it happened post-mortem. He was love-sick, poor fellow. Didn’t it make you want to give the man a hug, greasy hair and all? Narcissa Malfoy even throws Harry a bone and saves his life at the end, for the simple reason that she desperately loves her son. The little rat bastard.

* I LOVED that Neville took out the snake. Dude deserved the honor if anyone did.

* Harry gets the last word with Voldy. Yes, it feeds into the contrived ending business, but it was sincerely rewarding to see Harry face him down, hold him accountable for his actions, bring him down a notch or two, and call a spade a spade.

So where to go from here? I think the consensus is that we will now conquer the Lord of the Rings Series on audio. But no matter our next project, this audio experience will be something we never forget.

Deathly Hallows: 4 out of 5

Entire series: 5 out of 5

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (audio)

For as long as it took the kids and I to listen to the 5th Harry Potter audio book (which included a late fee at the library after renewing the maximum number of times), this one flew by. Perhaps it is an indication of our interest level, I'm not sure. But all roads of the wizarding world in which we have been living leads to this book, does it not? In fact, this installment is so emotional, so dramatic, so heart-breaking that our final book, The Deathly Hallows, almost seems anti-climatic.

My first comment is this. If you have seen the movies, and have declined the reading experience because you think you have seen it all, please reconsider. I might agree with you on Book 1 and maybe 2, but with each book, the movie gets further and further from its literary counterpart. The 6th movie? A disaster in my opinion. Entertaining, I suppose, but far off the path. I am sure decisions were made on the tone and content to maximize marketing power, but it fails miserably to convey the heart of the book.

For those of you who have not read this series, have not seen the movies, and intend to at some point, please go no further. I had to say this to protect the innocent.

I won't bother you will a summary of the plot, because 98% of you know this already. As with reviews of the previous books, I will give you some of my highlights:

1. We always knew Malfoy was nasty, but now our opinion is validated by his personal involvement with Voldemort. It just makes you want to scream "See? I told you he was evil!".

2. Harry falls in luuuuuv (or at least is now AWARE that he is in love) with Ginny. It is what we have always wanted, right guys? He had no business with mopey-face Cho. In fact, the hormones are flying everywhere. Snogging, jealousy, love potions...it's that age I guess.

3. We get edg-ma-cated on all things Voldemort...his parentage, his days in the orphanage, his days in Hogwarts, his sociopathic tendencies from a young age. And hoarcruxes. Important information to get us through the final book.

4. Dumbledore seriously dresses down the Dursely's for their mistreatment of Harry. Major fist-pump through this scene.

5. Harry stands up to the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour. The Minister had the gall to ask Harry to give the appearance of support to the Ministry of Magic for political reasons. This would be the same institution that promoted the sadistic Umbridge with her God complex. I think not, and neither did Harry. Another fist-pump!

6. Rowling completely nails atmosphere and stomach-hurting intensity with the scene in the cave, when Dumbledore drinks a potion in order to get his hands on a hoarcrux. Not only that, but Jim Dale gives the audio performance of a lifetime, drawing tears from everyone in our car.

Dare I even address the death of Dumbledore? Am I the only one who picked up the 7th book with a hollowness inside, wondering if I could possibly CARE what happened? Well, OK, ultimately I did care, but it would never be the same. I've always admired the author that has the cojones to throw a major character under the bus, but this was not quite what I had in mind. Even though this was my fourth or fifth time reading the book, it hasn't gotten easier. Hats off to Rowling for the ultimate sucker punch.

So the kids and I wait with bated breath for the 7th audio book to arrive. None of us have read it more than once, and of course we've only seen the trailers for the two-part movie. I look forward to a second look (especially that dream sequence at the end)! I don't look forward for it all to be over...

4.5 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (audio)

Well, it has been like a very long relationship, between me and this audio. The kids and I have been listening to it since (checking library records) before Christmas. 23 discs is a long haul when we only listen in the car, when everyone is in the car, and when there is nothing urgent to discuss.

If you haven't read the Harry Potter series or seen the movies, and you don't want any spoilers, please cease and desist here, and proceed to my final two paragraphs!!!

When I reflect on my journeys with Harry Potter, the Order of the Phoenix is one that tends to be blurred in my memory, sandwiched between Cedric's death in The Goblet of Fire and Dumbledore's death in the Half Blood Prince. But in re-reading/listening, there is much to remember about this installment:

* One of the literature's most vile villains comes to life. Delores Umbridge is described as toad-like, with a girlish giggle, pink cardigans, and a blood-thirsty taste for torture. Reading about her makes me squirm with discomfort, she is so nasty. One of the top ten moments in the series is when she is dragged off by angry centaurs.

* The "gang" grows a couple cajones. In response to Umbridge's effort to suppress all productive education in the area of the Dark Arts, Harry and friends form a subversive army whose sole mission is to learn the skills that enable them to defend themselves against Voldemort.

* The prophecy is revealed. See, Trelawney isn't good for nothing!

* The death of Sirius. This is possibly one of the most heart-breaking moments, next to losing Dumbledore. Harry finally finds "family", to lose it again forever. I shed a tear every time I read it or see it.

* More history on Severus Snape. Dare we feel pity? This character development is critical for further plot, and makes the hook-nosed, greasy-haired teacher just a tad more complicated.


Strangely, I felt an emotion with this audio book that I hadn't felt before in previous readings, and that is an irritation and annoyance with Harry. Had he focused on learning how to block out Voldemort from his thoughts (occlumency), the death of Sirius and injury of his friends could have been prevented. But then I guess it wouldn't have been nearly as exciting an ending, huh? Still, when I listened carefully, I could hear an internal dialogue in my mind that was pretty harsh..."Harry always sticks his nose into things that are best left alone", "Harry should stop trying to rebel and listen to Dumbledore already" and "Harry is always trying to be a hero and save people". I know Harry beats himself up over it, and Dumbldore isn't innocent in the whole mess, but I was less forgiving this time around.

******

Jim Dale continues to perform at a level that I feel puts him in the top narrators of all time (under Simon Vance of course). Whether he is singing "Weasely is Our King", uttering Umbridge's little clearing-the-throat "hem hem" noises (which makes the kids and I laugh uncontrollably every time), or portraying a devastated Harry who is no longer comfortable in his own skin, he is truly remarkable.

To me, The Order of the Phoenix is where my stomach started to hurt from the tension and tragedy of the plot. (I mean this with love in my heart of course. It is a good thing if a book causes physiological reactions in me.) By the end of The Half-Blood Prince, however, I'm almost nauseous. I guess what I am trying to say is that the climax of the Harry Potter series begins it's ascent here, and steadily climbs to its peak late in book 7. Make sure your seat belt is secure and your hands are inside the car.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling (audio)

I'm pleased to finally be able to write this review. 17 discs is a pretty long haul, especially when we only listened to it in the car, and only when all three of us were in the car, and only when we didn't have some sort of drama to discuss (alot of those recently). It was worth it, however. Terrifying, gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, with a few hormones thrown in just to prevent tears. From here on out in Harry's journey, you must remain buckled securely, remove all loose articles from your person, and find a safe place to hide for the remainder of the series. It's getting ugly.

The party is essentially over at Hogwarts. The dark mark is cast into the sky, indicating a call to all followers of Lord Voldemort to prepare themselves for his return. Someone secretly enters Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire, ensuring his participation in the dangerous Tri-Wizard Tournament, perhaps with his death being the end game. He must battle against dragons, sea creatures, Blast-Ended Scroots, his first crush, a muck-raking reporter, and dark forces determined to get the best of him. Ultimately, he witnesses the re-birth of Voldemort, which ends in a tragedy that will haunt Harry for the rest of his life. Lines are drawn between the Ministry of Magic, who refuses to believe the Dark Lord has returned, and those who know the truth. Armies are being formed on both sides, and the war between good and evil is on the horizon like a big black cloud.

It is with this book that we see a serious departure between the written word and the movie. Entire plotlines are disregarded, understandably to keep the movie from becoming a four-hour behemoth. Rowling's political views also start to peek through, with a bit of time spent on racial biases and inequities between humans and other "species". There are definitely less than subtle messages planted amongst the magic and the mayhem. My only criticism, which I didn't really have with the hard book itself, was that the audio felt a little longer than it needed to be. There seemed to be some extraneous detail. I'm not sure if audio naturally highlights these faults, or it was the circumstances in which we were listening.

The narration by Jim Dale continues to thoroughly entertain. Mr. Dale rips through the voices and the dialogue with such ease and familiarity, it sounds like it is totally second nature for the guy (it probably IS at this point). Not only does he have the comedic timing that keeps us laughing, he can narrate a grieving parent in the same breath that is so painful it is uncomfortable to listen to. This series wouldn't be the same without his voice.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (audio)

Nothing gives me more pleasure than to review my absolute FAVORITE Harry Potter book of the seven...Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. For those of you that have seen the movie (which I think is the best movie of them all as well...compliments to Alfonso Cuaron), here is where the book and movie start to part ways. The differences are mainly in the details, but important details nonetheless.

Why is this book my favorite? There are so many reasons...so I thought that instead of giving you the old blow-by-blow, which you probably already know anyway, I would offer a list of things I love about Year #3:

Hagrid's Monster Book of Monsters - amazing imagery. A book with eyes and teeth, that must be held together by a belt to protect life and limb? One that you have to stroke its spine to calm? I want one!

Chocolate - All of the sudden, chocolate is now the remedy of choice for all kinds of boo-boos. I've always believed this to be true. Who's with me?

The Dementors - With the introduction of the Dementors, things start to take a dark turn. As the guardians of Azkaban, they "infest the darkest filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them". And the ultimate punishment, the Dementor's kiss? "The Dementor puts back its hood and clamps its jaws on the mouth of the victim and sucks out his soul, leaving him an empty shell, alive but completely, irretrievably gone". Deliciously terrifying. Give me the Orcs over the Dementors anyday.

Buckbeak - Half bird, half horse, prideful but loyal pet of Hagrid's that unleashes a little whoop-ass on Malfoy. I'm attached to this animal, and my heart warms every time it makes its appearance in future installments.

When Hermione also unleashes some whoop-ass on Malfoy - The kid is detestable, and deserves what he gets. Strangely, I read in an interview somewhere that the actor that plays Malfoy (Tom Felton) is actually one of the nicest guys on the set. Go figure.

The Truth begins to be revealed - We start to get some satisfying answers to questions that have haunted Harry and his readers...about his parents' death, about his parents' true friends and enemies. It becomes a little clearer who is on whose side...

Harry finds family with Sirius Black - Harry has always been an orphan, even in his Aunt and Uncle's home. He has nowhere to go on holidays, and relies on his friends to remember his birthday and offer gifts at Christmas. So when he is reunited with his godfather, I get a lump in my throat.

I've always felt that after Year #3, things grow permanently dark. No longer can Harry ignore his fate, and things begin to get deadly. So whenever I re-read the series, I always pause at this moment and savor the moment. Something wicked this way comes...

5 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K Rowling (audio)

The love affair continues for us. We (defined as my kids and I) have seen this particular movie no less than three dozen times. My daughter and I have read the book several times over. But the audio experience continues to thrill.

Now let me take a step backwards for just a moment. I'm not really looking to boost my cred in your eyes, but I am an audio book addict. I've listened to well over a hundred audio books since I have discovered the beauty of a book read aloud, all while I clean my toilets, mow the yard, and run errands. A few of the brilliant come to mind...Testimony, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The School of Essential Ingredients, The Little Stranger. Jim Dale, the Harry Potter narrator, is among the most talented I have ever heard. Imagine the enormous shoes he has stepped into. When he was recording this particular audio, the movies had not yet been made. With the direction of Rowling, he has attempted to embody each of the characters, all with his one God-given voice. Not only does he nail certain characters, such as Hagrid and in this novel, Professor Lockhart, but he has comedic timing. The kids and I laugh our way to school and back, with passers-by thinking we are a carload of simpletons.

But I digress. Before I read the books, I would have claimed this installment to be my least favorite (although, who wouldn't love the visual of the little shriveled, screaming, bad-baby Mandrake plants?). But once you read the book, you realize this is yet another critical step in the making of Harry. The underlying theme throughout the entire book is...is Harry good, or is he bad? Does he really belong in the house of Slytherin, or in Gryffindor? Is he the heir of Slytherin? What part does fate play in the destiny of Harry? We learn that the events that unfold are not a pre-determined destiny, but result directly from our actions. Walking the walk, and talking the talk, if you will. Not a bad lesson to learn.

We get a little more intimate with Voldemort - this time with his memory and what will be known later as a hoarcrux. Every books gets just a tiny bit darker.

The maniacal laughing of the Nawrot family for this audio primarily was inspired by the absurd, piggish behaviour of the Dursely's, and by Professor Lockhart. The voice of Lockhart is the mirror image of Kenneth Branagh's character in the movie...shallow, narcissistic, and intellectually obtuse. The voice of Moaning Myrtle was not the same high-pitched, sing-songy voice as the movie, but equally as entertaining, weighed down with malaise and depression of being dead and living in a toilet.

Very few details of the book were changed to make the movie, so you will find most everything intact in the transition.

I've noticed a number of people who have commented that since they have seen the movies, they don't think it is necessary to read the books at this stage. I would beg you to reconsider. As talented as the screenwriters and directors are, there is absolutely no comparison. You must experience these books in every blissful, magical word.

5 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling (audio)

We are a family of Harry Potter-ites. I've read the series, with the exception of the 7th book, three times. My daughter has read the series once. We have seen all of the movies (the earlier ones ad nauseum), and even have a Harry Potter Scene It game. But the one untouched bit of media was the audio book. I'd heard the narration was beyond compare. So when the Harry Potter Reading Challenge presented itself, I thought it was time to give it a try. I will listen to all of the audios in the car with the kids.

I know that it is not necessary to rehash the plot. I don't think there is a red-blooded human on earth that doesn't know the premise of Harry Potter. So I will just move on to my musings!

It is always interesting to me that with each reading of HP, I notice small details that I missed in previous ones. The book is chock full of clever little nuggets of humor and plot, and I never tire of the discovery. Also, knowing the ultimate fate of the characters, it is almost eerie to see how it all began so innocently. Ironies and foreshadowing are not lost on me, and more than once found myself with goosebumps. In a recent review of this book in blogland, the comment was made that the story seemed more childish now than when first read, which is absolutely true. Knowing what we know about the destiny of Harry, his friends and enemies, the Sorcerer's Stone seems like a playful, magical romp. I am content to stay snug under the protection of the invisibility cloak, knowing that it won't be long before all hell breaks loose and the magic turns dark.

The audio is absolutely brilliant. In the hands of Jim Dale, the narrator, the story is not only an edge-of-your-seat experience, it is laugh-out-loud hilarious. I always appreciated Rowlings' wit, but on the audio it comes alive. Interestingly, I noted that while this audio was produced long before the movie, the "voices" of the characters are uncannily similar to the ones on screen. How did they do that? My only explanation is that Mr. Dale has such an innate sense of the spirit of the characters, with the help of Rowling's vision, that his voice embodied what we see now on the silver screen. It isn't surprising to learn that Jim Dale has a long, successful history of experience on the stage, on television and at the movies. He is masterful. Here is a brief clip of Dale talking about the beauty of the Harry Potter audio experience:

Another dimension indeed. If you think you've had enough Harry Potter to last a lifetime, but haven't tried the audios, I would highly recommend them. You have never experienced Harry Potter like this before!

So, what do you think? Are you up for it? Have you listened to the audios already? I'd love to hear your opinions!