Harry Potter

Overview

Despite J. K. Rowling's assertions that she did not have any particular age group in mind when she began to write the Harry Potter books, her publishers initially targeted them at young readers, aged around 9 to 15. However, they have acquired fans of all ages, and the books have more recently been released in two editions, one with the original 'children's' cover artwork and one with artwork more consciously aimed at adult readers. Additionally, as the series has developed, Rowling's writing style has become more sophisticated, and the content of the books has matured as the lead character, Harry Potter, has grown older. For instance, relationships are discussed as an issue for the teenage characters in later books. Accordingly the reading age for the books, both in terms of content and style, is rising as the series goes on.

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The first book was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury, a fairly small independent publisher, in July 1997. Its initial success was based on some positive reviews and word of mouth. Books one (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone), two (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) and three (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) all won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for the 9 to 11 age group. By the time book four (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) was published in 2000 the series had become very high-profile, and the launch received much wider publicity in the general media than was usual for a new book. At around the same time Warner Brothers began work on the series of films based on the books. The involvement of a global media conglomerate led to more concerted efforts to maximize the value of the Harry Potter franchise. The first film, based on the first book, was released in 2001, and was accompanied by video games and other branded merchandise.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - Bloomsbury - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Nestlé Smarties Book Prize - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Brothers

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The hype escalated with the publication of books five and six (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince respectively), with midnight launch parties at hundreds of bookshops in the UK, simultaneous launch events around the English speaking world, and intense media interest, leading to unprecedented first day sales in the UK, US and elsewhere. The series is immensely popular around the world in translation. Such was the clamour to read the book around the world that the English language edition of book five became the first English language book ever to top the bookseller list in France.

Related Topics:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - France

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According to the author, J.K. Rowling, the stories appeared in her head while she was on a train from Manchester to London in 1991. Her favourite place to write the first book was at an Edinburgh café table, while drinking endless cups of coffee. Sales from the books, as well as royalties from films and merchandise, have made Rowling the 620th wealthiest person in the world .

Related Topics:
Manchester - London - Edinburgh

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Rowling is richer than Queen Elizabeth II.

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Each book chronicles approximately one year in Harry's life at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many obstacles - magical, social and emotional - as he struggles through his adolescence.

Related Topics:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - Magic - Potions

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Rowling has announced that seven books are planned, each a little darker than its predecessor, as Harry ages and his nemesis, Lord Voldemort, gains power. As of October 2005, six books have been published. The latest, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was published in its English language version on 16 July 2005. Since the publication of book five, Rowling has revealed hints about the plot of future books on her personal website.

Related Topics:
Lord Voldemort - 16 July - 2005

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The books are written in third person limited omniscient mode, with Harry as the central character. The books are generally written from Harry's point of view, with short exceptions in Philosopher's Stone, Goblet of Fire and Half-Blood Prince. The telling of the story through Harry Potter's perspective is perhaps one of the reasons that many readers lay claim to a sense of kinship with the character.

Related Topics:
Third person - Limited omniscient

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Rowling's main strengths as a writer include her ability to drive elaborate and largely seamless plots over a very wide canvas, the convincing internal logic of her fantasy world, and the acuteness of her characterisation. The three adolescents at the centre of the book (Harry and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger) are perceptively presented, the main adult characters have substance, and the minor characters are vivid and memorable. The Harry Potter books also contain much humour. On the other hand, Rowling's prose style is not a major strength. Additionally, while there is much moral subtlety in many scenes in the books, the central clash between good and evil is drawn in largely black-and-white terms. Nevertheless, as the series develops, several characters have faced a choice between doing what is good or what is easy (a central theme), and moral 'shades of grey' have been presented.

Related Topics:
Plot - Convincing internal logic - Characterisation - Adolescents - Ron Weasley - Hermione Granger - Moral

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Rowling lets the ideas of racism, genocide and prejudice find their way in; these are the trademark of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but also occasionally shown in the relationship between wizards and the non-magical (or 'Muggle') population.

Related Topics:
Racism - Genocide - Prejudice

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The books have been compared to many well-known works, including C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia and J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. They also fit into a British genre of novels about boarding school life, and sections involving the Dursleys, Harry's relatives, are reminiscent of the works of Roald Dahl. Echoes of Charles Dickens, particularly in the naming of characters, and Douglas Adams have been pointed out by other readers. At root, Harry's origin story is a mythical archetype known around the world: the destined hero sent away as a baby for safekeeping and raised by common folk until he is of an age where he can be told who he really is and what he must do (a motif most famously epitomised in the myth of Oedipus). Readers who are unfamiliar with fairytales will still recognize the theme; it is the basis for Star Wars and Superman, amongst others.

Related Topics:
C. S. Lewis - The Chronicles of Narnia - J. R. R. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings - Boarding school - Roald Dahl - Charles Dickens - Douglas Adams - Oedipus - Star Wars - Superman

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Aspects of the Harry Potter series have even entered the real world, such as Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, which inspired an actual product of that name, marketed by the Jelly Belly Company. Also, knitting patterns have been created for the Quidditch Sweater and elf socks.

Related Topics:
Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans - Jelly Belly - Knitting

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