J.K. Rowling & Vanessa Lafaye | Mini Reviews

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay
Published by Bloomsbury, 2019 (first published in 2000)
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

It’s always a nostalgic delight to revisit the wizarding world, flaws and all – especially at this time of year. Kay’s stunning illustrations add another layer of immersion, making this re-read feel both fresh and familiar all at once.

I’ve always loved that Prisoner of Azkaban represented a turning point in the overall tone of the series, whilst Voldemort’s return in Goblet of Fire served as an equivalent turning point in the narrative.

You can pick up a copy of the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire from Book Depository by clicking here.

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Miss Marley by Vanessa Lafaye
Published by HQ, 2018
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Jacob Marley plays a key role in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The chain-clad ghost – once Scrooge’s business partner – is doomed to wander the Earth, lamenting the shame of a life fuelled by greed. In this prequel, Vanessa Lafaye explores the events that led Marley to this tragic state, told from the perspective of his sister, Clara.

The Dickensian setting is evoked well, with the handling of previously established characters in keeping with what readers experienced in A Christmas Carol. By framing this particular story through the eyes of a new character, however, Lafaye is able to pay homage to the original text without ‘trespassing’ – which she explained was her fear in the author’s note.

Important themes from the original are built upon, including the trappings of poverty, the struggle to transcend class, and the battle between fate and freewill. Clara’s viewpoint allows for commentary on female agency at the time, and there’s a real poignancy to watching Marley do all the wrong things for all the right reasons; hardening his heart in order to protect his beloved sister, blind to the harm he himself is causing her.

The best kind of tie-in novel, Miss Marley successfully toes the line between reverence for its predecessor, and innovation within the context of an iconic story’s existing lore.

You can pick up a copy of Miss Marley from Book Depository by clicking here.

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The Ultimate Harry Potter Tag

The original UK book covers

I may have technically missed the 20^th anniversary of Harry Potter first being released (doesn’t that mere sentence make you feel old?!) but I was kindly tagged by the lovely Rachel to do the Ultimate Harry Potter Tag, and of course, I couldn’t refuse. Let’s just jump right in.

1) Favourite book?
Starting with a Sophie’s Choice level of difficulty, I see. I obviously adore them all, but The Prisoner of Azkaban represents a real shift in tone towards darker plot threads and is the one I have the most specific memories of reading for the first time. I remember exactly where I was sitting and that I was so absorbed that I refused to eat dinner until I had finished reading it, and I never turn down food.

2) Least favourite book?
Again, this is tough, but I’ll go with The Chamber of Secrets, purely because there’s not enough Hermione.

3) Favourite movie?
For pure nostalgia and adorableness, the first movie will always hold a special place in my heart. I remember being floored by how visually stunning it was, and it’s probably the most we get to see of daily life at Hogwarts in terms of lessons, professors, Houses, feasts, the sorting ceremony, etc., and I love the feeling of discovering and falling in love with the magical world along with the characters. By way of contrast, I also love both parts of The Deathly Hallows for how harrowing they are.

4) Least favourite movie?
Poor Chamber of Secrets but I’m going to go with it again, only because I was off sick for a week once as a child with a bad bout of the flu and I watched Chamber of Secrets three times in two days (I think I was delirious) and sort of sickened myself with it. And again, not enough Hermione.

5) Favourite quote?
“If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

6) Favourite Weasley?
Fred and George. They come as a package deal so I can’t be expected to choose just one, surely?

7) Favourite female character?
Hermione. Duh.

8) Favourite villain.
I love how twisted Bellatrix is. Her messed up master/servant type relationship with Voldemort is fascinating, and that’s why I’ll never forgive what they did to those characters in The Cursed Child – but that’s not real so it doesn’t count. *sticks fingers in my ears* la, la, la.

9) Favourite male character?
Probably Neville. Aw, Neville.

10) Favourite professor?
Sass-master-extraordinaire, McGonagall. Who else?

11) Would you rather A) wash Snape’s hair or B) spend a day listening to Lockhart rant about himself?
B. At least I could have a good laugh at how ludicrous Lockhart is.

12) Would you rather duel A) an elated Bellatrix or B) an angry Molly?
B. I’m not a Death Eater and I didn’t try to kill her daughter, so I hope that however angry Molly was, she wouldn’t actively try to kill me. Bellatrix on the other hand…

13) Would you rather travel to Hogwarts via A) Hogwarts Express or B) Flying Car?
Hogwarts Express! It’d be like being in the worlds of Harry Potter and Agatha Christie all at once.

14) Would you rather A) Kiss Voldemort or B) give Umbridge a bubble bath?
I’m going to steal Rachel’s clever answer here and say A, on the caveat that it was in his pre-reptilian Tom Riddle days.

15) Would you rather A) ride a Hippogriff or B) ride a Firebolt?
I’m an animal lover, so I’ll go with a Hippogriff.

16) Is there a character you felt differently about in the movies?
Movie Ginny displays about as much charisma as a used teabag.

17) Is there a movie you preferred to the book?
No, I’m loyal to the books. But that said, my love and nostalgia for the series is tied up pretty equally in both the books and the films. I love how easy the films make it to return to the world.

18) Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as Dumbledore?
I like both for different reasons, but I’ll go with Gambon, because I simply can’t imagine Harris’ adorably mild Dumbledore in the darker, more intense scenes of later movies, like his drinking of the Potion of Despair or his duel with Voldemort, for example. I have to say, it annoys me a little how many people say they dislike Gambon purely because of one scene in which he shouts a line that is said to be spoken calmly in the book (you all know what scene I’m talking about). Firstly, it’s just one scene, and secondly, actors are told by writers and directors how to deliver a line, so he almost certainly won’t have changed the intonation by his own accord. *hides*

19) Your top thing (person or event) that wasn’t in the movie that you wanted there the most?
Hermione’s campaigning for house elves’ rights. It was such a great little character building sub-plot that showed us exactly how compassionate and driven she was.

20) If you could remake any of the Harry Potter movies which would it be?
None. I’m too tied up in the nostalgia of them all by this point.

21) Which house was your first gut feeling you’d be a part of?
Ravenclaw. I fell into the trap of thinking all bookworms are automatically Ravenclaws.

22) Which house were you actually sorted into on Pottermore?
Hufflepuff. I’m definitely a Hufflepuff.

23) Which class would be your favourite?
Care of Magical Creatures. I told you, I’m definitely a Hufflepuff.

24) Which spell do you think would be most useful to learn?
Accio, for sure.

25) Which character do you think you’d instantly become friends with?
Luna ❤

26) If you could own one of the three Hallows, which would it be?
The invisibility cloak. The others are a bit too potentially perilous for my liking.

27) Is there any aspect of the books you’d want to change?
I’d cut out the epilogue. Goodness me, I needed some crackers for all that cheese. I understand from Rowling’s perspective why she included it; to try and minimize the inevitable barrage of ‘what happened next?!’, but really, it just felt sickly sweet. Those names… *shudder*

28) Favourite Marauder?
Remus. I think he’s a fascinating character and a genuinely good person, which (incoming controversial opinion) I don’t think can necessarily be said about the other Marauders.

29) If you could bring one character back to life, which would it be?
Hedwig. I’m not even joking. Her accidental death in the books was tragic; her deliberate death in the movies trying to defend Harry was devastating. Yep, definitely a Hufflepuff.

30) Hallows or Horcruxes?
Hallows. I’m not here for that immortal life, thanks.

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Big thanks again to Rachel for tagging me. Since I missed the anniversary and a lot of people will already have been doing this tag, I’ll simply leave it open to anyone who wishes to take part.

Women in Fiction | Luna Lovegood

Luna Lovegood

The latest character to be featured in my ‘Women in Fiction’ series is Luna Lovegood from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, who is portrayed by Evanna Lynch in the movie adaptations. Having already featured her Potter contemporary, Hermione Granger, in part for her unwillingness to compromise who she truly is, I couldn’t fail to also mention Luna, who has a level of self-love, acceptance and comfort in her own skin that most of us can only aspire to.

Delightfully quirky, Luna is unashamedly herself and though it would have been easy for such an oddball to have been painted as a loner, she instead showed us that kindness and loyalty will always win out in the end by proving herself to be one of Harry’s most reliable companions who is not at all afraid to stand up for what is right. In doing so, she also proved that sensitivity and compassion need not be seen as signs of weakness.

Essentially, Luna taught us that being true to ourselves may not necessarily be the fastest way to make the most friends, but it’s the best way to make the right ones.

Women in Fiction | Hermione Granger

Hermione Granger

Of course the incomparable Hermione Granger had to be featured in my series designed to highlight and celebrate positive depictions of women in fiction.

As I’m sure you all know, Hermione first appeared in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, and was portrayed by Emma Watson in the subsequent film adaptations. Most recently, the role was taken on by Noma Dumezweni in The Cursed Child stage production.

From the moment readers were introduced to Hermione, she became the unofficial poster girl for bookworms and feminists alike. Fiercely intelligent, she point-blank refuses to dumb herself down to appease others, even her closest friends, and though she has her moments of delightfully lacklustre social skills, she systematically broke down the stereotypes that told us people like Hermione couldn’t be popular. Always giving priority to her brains rather than her appearance, she taught a generation of schoolgirls (and boys) that it’s okay not to strive to be ‘the pretty one’.

Essentially, Hermione did what was at one point likely considered impossible and actually made it cool to be a bit of a nerd. Far from one dimensional however, throughout the series she also displays countless examples of her bravery, going above and beyond to help those she loves in their times of need and fight for what she believes in, as well as compassion, through her campaigning for elfish welfare, and more than her fair share of badassery – who can forget the satisfying slap (or the even more epic punch in the film version) that she landed right on Draco’s smug face? Perhaps best of all however is the fact that Rowling was not afraid to give Hermione her flaws – notably her stubbornness and intense fear of failure – which only serve to make her even more relatable and human.

Thank you for everything you stand for, Miss Granger. 50 points to Gryffindor.

Harry Potter Tag

The books we all know and love

It’s been a long time since it finished and we’ve all grown older and wiser, and yet every year we’re still secretly devastated when an invitation to Hogwarts doesn’t arrive on our birthday. Yes, of course, I’m talking about the phenomenon that is the Harry Potter universe.

I saw this tag on Avid Reader’s blog and thought it looked like a fun way to look back fondly on my love of this series. I hope you’ll get involved and share your answers in a post of your own.

• What is your favourite book?

This is like Sophie’s choice right away. I love them all; how can I possibly choose a favourite? I remember flying through the Prisoner of Azkaban and feel it was the first one that for me really played up the darker elements of the story and the first one that felt less like ‘a great children’s book’ and simply ‘a great book’ regardless of audience. I can remember the exact seat I was sitting in when I finished reading it and that I didn’t eat until really late that night because I refused to stop until I had reached the end. From that moment, I had to get every book as soon as it came out. For the clarity of that specific memory, I’ll choose the Prisoner of Azkaban.

• What is your favourite film?

Again, this is really tough. The Philosopher’s Stone holds a special place in my heart because it’s so charming and I remember how excited I was to see the world come to life so beautifully for the first time (and because fetus Harry, Ron and Hermione are adorable).

Ultimately, I think I would have to choose the Deathly Hallows. (I’m cheating and counting both parts as one overall movie). It’s visually stunning, dark, tense, exciting and a wonderful climax to so many years of growth and development.

• What is your least favourite book?

As I said before, I really do love them all. I’ll say the Order of the Phoenix simply because it is rather long and even JK Rowling herself has said in hindsight that it could and should have been shorter. I’m not one to argue with the master.

• What is your least favourite film?

Again, I don’t truthfully have one. I remember being quite ill and more or less bedridden for a week years ago and for some reason felt it would be best to watch the Chamber of Secrets on a loop, so I somewhat sickened myself of it for a while, albeit only briefly.

• Which parts of the books/films made you cry?

RIP Hedwig… The film made it even worse because she died actually trying to protect Harry. The end made me sad too, not so much because of what actually happened but simply because it was all over.

• If you could hook up with any character who would it be?

*Shudder* The characters in this series feel like old friends that we all grew up with and so in every respect that mere notion is just wrong.

• Who is your favourite character?

Gah, so many to choose from! I think overall my runner up would be Luna Lovegood. Not only is she wonderfully weird but better still, she makes no effort to sensor herself to appease ‘normal’ people. Nor should she.

My number one would likely have to be Hermione. She made it cool to be a nerd; she actually made it cool! The best thing about Hermione is that despite everything that makes her brilliant – her intelligence, her loyalty, her bravery – Rowling made it clear that just like everyone else, she is not perfect. I think that despite existing within a fictional fantasy world, Miss Granger is one of the best role models for young people out there.

• Who is your least favourite character?

I loathe Dolores Umbridge. Then again, I suppose we are meant to.

• What is your least favourite line? 

I can’t recall a line that stuck with me for being bad, not that that’s something to complain about.

• What would your Patronus be? 

A sloth? No, let’s go with a cat. They can still be pretty lazy but at least they do it with a little more class.

• If you could have the invisibility cloak, resurrection stone or elder wand, which would you choose?

The chance to go out in public without having to interact with other humans? I’ll take the invisibility cloak any day, thank you very much.

• What house would you be in?

I’m proud to say I took the test and am indeed a Gryffindor.

• If you could meet any member of the cast who would it be?

Emma Watson. This isn’t just because she plays my favourite character. I think she seems a genuinely smart, humble young woman and her recent speech on equality at the UN was fantastic.

• If you were on the Quidditch team, what position would you play?

Is there a position where you hide in the safety of the locker room until it’s over? Yeah, I’ll take that one.

• Were you happy with the ending?

I love the climax. I’m not entirely sure we needed the epilogue, though I do absolutely understand Rowling’s desire to show us at least a glimpse of the future for the characters we all felt were equally ours as much as they were hers, or else she would have been pestered relentlessly by fans wanting to know what became of them. The only part that irked me somewhat was the overly cheesy names for Harry’s children.

• How much does Harry Potter mean to you?

I’m part of the generation that feels they really grew up with the series and have such fond memories associated with both the books and the movies. It’s pure magical escapism that speaks to the desires and fears in us all. Even more generally, as a reader – and now a writer also – I am grateful that JK Rowling reignited the world’s passion for the written word.

Now, I’m off to see if my Hogwarts letter has finally arrived… *sigh*

It’s Not All About the Hero

Harry Potter is an example of a series with several strong supporting characters.

Characters are crucial to any book or film; they draw us in, make us feel emotionally invested and help carry the story forward. I read a great post over on Hayley Knighten’s blog recently about what attracts readers to a particular character and my conclusion was that, for me, it’s one with substance; one with something interesting to say; a real driving force rather than a bystander void of any real personality or depth. I soon realised what characters were springing to mind when I thought of this and was surprised to realise the majority of them were in fact supporting characters.

In many cases, I find that heroes and heroines are actually the most flat, one-dimensional characters within the plot. They are so heavily embroiled in the main arc that they become largely tools to drive the story and are sometimes deprived of the chance to show real growth and individuality. The characters around them – the ones that introduce supporting ideas, sub-plots and themes – they are so often the ones given the opportunity to really shine.

How often do we see an every-man hero who remains somewhat neutral that encounters quirky side-kicks, enigmatic love interests and evil foes throughout their adventure?  It’s a structure that works, that’s why it is so popular, and my purpose is not to say that I don’t like every-man lead characters; quite the contrary. I was simply rather intrigued by my realisation that it is those around them – the often unsung supporting characters – that really draw me into a story and keep me hooked.

Are there any supporting characters in film or literature that you love?

Is It Set In Stone?

How rigidly do you follow your plans?

I’ve written a few posts relating to the planning process before, in particular about what percentage of your work is pre-decided and what you leave up to your instincts as and when you actually write. Recently however I read an article that sparked off yet another consideration I hadn’t really given much thought before: To what extent would you be willing to change the course of your story when you wrote, even if it went against your finalised plan?

The piece in question that got me thinking was an interview with JK Rowling in which she seemed to say that with hindsight, she regretted having Hermione and Ron – two of the Harry Potter series’ main characters – get together romantically at the conclusion of the books. She implied that she now felt it was the wrong decision from the perspective of the characters and that her main driving force in including the plotline was to honour her plan and own arguably selfish wishes as the author and creator of their world. The quote was as follows:

“[I] wrote the Hermione-Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfilment for reasons that have very little to do with literature and far more to do with me clinging to the plot as I first imagined it, Hermione ended up with Ron. I know, I’m sorry, I can hear the rage and fury it might cause some fans, but if I’m absolutely honest, distance has given me perspective on that. It was a choice I made for very personal reasons, not for reasons of credibility. Am I breaking people’s hearts by saying this? I hope not.”

I found this fascinating. Throughout my own writing, I have indeed added extra subplots or supporting characters that came to me as I wrote even though they weren’t included in the initial plan but have never changed – or been tempted to change – such a major plot element.

Have you ever drastically changed elements of your story that affected the entire plot or do you always try and stick to your plan? Have you ever regretted decisions you made with regards to your characters?

Inspirational Authors

As soon as you tell someone that you write, or even simply that you enjoy reading, you will more than likely be asked what your favourite book is. This has always felt like an impossible question to me as how could you possibly pick just one book when there is such a huge range of vastly different yet equally wonderful stories on offer?

In light of this, I have always preferred – and found it far easier – to tell people who the authors I most admire are, as though my favourite books can change from day to day depending on my mood and what happens to be capturing my imagination in that particular moment, the skills of the following people never cease to amaze me and while this is far from a comprehensive list of authors whose work I enjoy, these individuals certainly had a profound impression and influence on my own love of writing and literature.

• Thomas Hardy

I admire Hardy’s work first and foremost because he wrote genuinely interesting and compelling stories with characters I felt completely invested in but when you consider the time in which he was writing, it only becomes even more impressive. The boldness with which he tackled what were in his day hugely controversial social issues and the way in which he was not at all afraid to criticise the status quo are to be celebrated – particularly in his representation of the treatment of women and the class divide. His use of colour to portray deeper meaning, perhaps most notable in the brilliant Tess of the D’Urbervilles, is also a technique I find especially effective and inspiring. Aside from the aforementioned story of Tess, I also love The Return of the Native and Jude the Obscure.

• Muriel Spark

Being from Scotland, it feels only natural to include at least one home-grown author on this list and Muriel Spark is certainly a fine example. The way she can interweave touches of comedy with heart breaking drama is second to none and the vivid pictures she paints of the very much realistic settings throughout her stories are beautiful. My favourite of her work would definitely include The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and The Driver’s Seat; both wonderful novellas.

• J.K Rowling

Though some literary enthusiasts may initially be somewhat dismissive of authors famed for work primarily aimed at children or teenagers, I have never known a writer to create a series of stories capable of entirely transcending ages anywhere near the extent to which Rowling achieved it with Harry Potter. The attention to detail in her writing and the clear passion for the world she had envisioned combined with her representation of relatable and relevant real world issues captured the imaginations of generations and will undoubtedly continue to do so well into the future. Her more recent endeavours, The Casual Vacancy and The Cuckoo’s Calling (written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith), show that her strength lies not only in the genre of fantasy; with the former being a hard-hitting, gritty story of political and social unrest in modern Britain and the latter, a compelling crime novel. Both prove that her ability to establish charismatic, enjoyable characters and well-paced, gripping stories are certainly not restricted to the confines of children’s fantasy.