Saturday, June 26, 2010

Summer at Hogwarts - Goblet of Fire

It's June 26th and for those of you following the syllabus that means we've just finished Goblet of Fire. Hopefully you weren't to scared by the Triwizard Tournament to keep reading!

Out of the entire series, Goblet of Fire has always stood out as one of my favorites. This read was nothing different. I've always found, as many others have, that Goblet is the transition point from Harry the boy and Harry the teenager with a cause. That's what I really love about year 4 at Hogwarts. In my post about Prisoner of Azkaban I wrote about how annoyed I was at how little happened. That isn't a problem with Goblet of Fire. Things are happening all the time, and when things get slow it's because there are hidden clues.

I know a lot of people have an issue with the 100 pages dedicated to the Quidditch World Cup, but I am not one of them. I liked seeing wizards trying to be like muggles and failing, I like that there's this energy of excitement throughout the beginning of the book and that for once Harry, Ron and Hermione are really happy. Plus we get to see more of the Weasleys, and we all know how much I love them.  

Of course the other big event is the Triwizard Tournament. Another thing I love! I think this has more to do with the fact that there are other wizarding schools with different priorities then with the actual tasks, but the tasks themselves are cool to. I think the tournament forces Harry to grow up in such a way that would never have come to him naturally, and eventually catapults him into the emo brat I so hate in Order of the Phoenix, but more on that in 10 days. 

A few of the others things I love about GoF are:
House Elves (but not SPEW)
Professor Moody - I'm always really sad that Moody is one of my favorite Professor's at Hogwarts but he's been an impostor the whole time!
Dragons
Brother Wands
Albus Dumbeldore

And a few of the things that I could have really done without:
The Yule Ball
SPEW
The first ten pages of the first chapter (The rest can stay. It's at least relevant)
Cedric Diggory
Ludo Bagman

I know I'm in the minority in loving Goblet of Fire as much as I do, and you'll probably get a similar post when we come to Half Blood Prince in July but I hope at least a few of you enjoyed your reread. See you in a few days for your next quiz as well as a Quidditch related challenge

4 comments:

Rebecca Chapman said...

Goblet of Fire is one my favourites too. I can't beleive there are people out there who don't like the Tri Wizard CUp - it's great stuff!!

Anonymous said...

I've got to say I've enjoy the re-read of Goblet of Fire way more than the first time, however the first time took me forever!

I liked the idea quidditch as a whole, as me also enjoyed the quidditch cup chapters.

kwylandk said...

few things that bother me in goblet:
- lily should have come out of voldemort's wand before james
- "Hermione turned away, smiling at the horseless carriages that were now trundling toward them up the drive..."
Harry should be able to see the thestrals by then
- "'I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy - ' Snape made a sudden movement, but as Harry looked at him, Snape's eyes flew back to Fudge."
what is that all about?

Fiona said...

It's only been the recent re-read of Goblet of Fire that I've started to like it more.

embodythewind - hmm maybe Malfoy didn't want Harry to talk, or he was thinking that he would have to show himself to Voldemort at some point and hearing that Harry had seen the Deatheaters...