In an effort to pull myself away from TV I've immersed myself in the Harry Potter series. I am way behind the whole rest of the world, back on Book 4 (Goblet of Fire) while RK Rowling is busily writing No. 7.
And I hate being part of a cult. There is so much stuff about Rowling and the books and movies she's given birth to in the media and on the Internet that it is ridiculous. Muggle Net? Quidditch Pitch? Harry Potter fans are worse than Star Trekkies in having no life and devoting hours to the study of every piece of trivia related to the series.
But like Star Trek, the Harry Potter series really is worth putting time into. It's so inventive. My favorite part of Book 3 (Azkaban) were the dementors -- evil sightless, soul-sucking monsters that sap all the good memories and joy from a person, reminding them of every failing and weakness, forcing them to relive again and again their worst memories. How apt a description and clever a personification of depression.
In this book, the dementors are back and Rowling introduces another memorable character. Journalist Rita Skeeter. (Miranda Richardson plays her in the movies). Rita does not help the image of journalists. Rowling says she has enjoyed giving life to this character because of her own treatment at the hand of journalists.
Rita writes for a taloid called The Daily Prophet and can turn into a Beetle at will so that she nearly always has the inside view of things. She uses a Quick-Quotes Quill, an acid-green pen that writes on its own, independent of her, and also independent of anything her subjects say or don't say in an interview. "An ugly scar, souvenir of a tragic past, disfigures the otherwise charming face of Harry Potter whose eyes..." the pen scribbles before Harry opens his mouth in an Rita interview.
Her delightfully nasty stories are much sought after though maligned. They increase circulation when they appear, which is pretty rare.
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