Well, I don’t think I’m that far gone, but I did find it strange that the moment I read the last sentence and put down the book, I did feel a bit blue, dazed, and somewhat empty. Of course there are two more movies to come, but there are no more classes at Hogwarts, no rivalry between Potter and Draco, no more anticipation.
I wasn’t sure if anyone else might be feeling this way until I saw this article:
The books may be make-believe, but post-Potter depression will be quite real for some fans. Many have followed the series devotedly – even obsessively – since the 1997 publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
“The attachment has been so long, and each release has been its own cycle of anticipation and then grief when it’s over,” says Heather Servaty-Seib, an assistant professor at Purdue University in Indiana and an expert in childhood grief. Mourning the end of a beloved book or series is a normal rite of passage, she notes, although in this case the literary loss is shared by an unusually large number of people.
I don’t consider myself in the league of fans that line up for the first editions, or speculate endlessly about character motives or what’s coming next. However, I am always a bit blue when something I’ve enjoyed so much has ended. Leaving behind the world of wizards and witches makes me remember so many other books whose worlds have found a permanent home within my memories. The Harry Potter books will be a set I’ll keep for quite awhile. After all, I can always re-read them.
I haven’t read any of the Potter books, but I feel the same way when I finsh a good book I’ve been reading. Have a great weekend.
Wow, you read the book already. You’re good. =O)
I used to chew down 2-3 novels a week but lately my eyes are getting bad and I end up falling asleep from eye strain in the middle of a good chapter.
You know, maybe it’s a good thing it’s finalized. Some series that I’ve read were excellent reading through the first few books then became old, boring and predictable.
I suppose, like Seinfeld – Rowlings knew to bow out gracefully while the bowing out was good. Maybe she’ll come up with a new character and series. Writer’s hardly ever just stop – writing. =O)
I can sympathize with the people grieving that they won’t have anything to look forward to a year or two from now, during the summer. The Harry Potter books got a lot of people reading that otherwise wouldn’t have.
I wasn’t a big fan of the last two books, as they focused too much on the characters and not enough about the world around them. I also didn’t like the amount of fan-service Ms. Rowling gave the people who thought Ginny and Harry were meant to be together. It didn’t seem to fit the flow of the story to just have them date for a couple chapters out of the blue.
I spoiled myself on HP7, and posted my opinion (spoiler free, of course) a couple days before the book came out. My opinion stands.