Re: It's the things behind the scenes setting up the big plan (spoilers for this and later books)
Camilla Send a noteboard - 16/08/2010 11:47:16 AM
Is this the first chapter since the opening one that is not focalised through Harry? I cannot remember that happening in any of the earlier books, but I know this technique shows up in the opening of book 6 as well (at least). Still, it is unusual for Rowling and a little unsettling because it breaks the pattern.
Well, if you look at all seven the books, there's four that start with the focus on someone else: PS with the focus, well, on baby Harry I suppose, but you get the point; GoF with this; HBP with the Muggle PM plus the next chapter on Snape; and then DH with a scene of Death Eaters. So there isn't much of a pattern to it, really.
True. It is odd. Since the pattern, focusing through Harry, is so ingrained in the series, and in the whole structure of the series: we know what Harry knows, which is why we are so often wrong in our assumptions (well, I am, anyway). Deviating from that pattern is a strange choice to make.
It raises a lot of questions: what is the plan that cannot proceed until the World Cup is over? Kidnapping Harry is after all not going to happen for almost a whole year.
Who is Wormtail going to curse? I am genuinely perplexed by this, despite having read the book I don't know how many times. Is it Crouch's house-elf? I thought maybe Barty Jr did that himself.
Barty Crouch Senior. The events at the World Cup are unforeseen by Voldemort, but in the end Winky ends up back in control of Barty Jr., and he's returned to his house, so the plan can go ahead (I was first going to say the plan as described here doesn't happen because of the World Cup thing, but that's not true, I just realized). The plan to show up at Barty Jr.'s house and liberate him, though, is what's being discussed here. So that one curse would have to be the Imperius on Barty Sr.
Ah, yes. Again, this isn't really terribly strong plotting. A sequence is planned, then disturbed, then returned to status quo so that the plan can go ahead. It is a little disappointing after the strong plotting of the third book. This whole book feels rather more unfocused (as I remember it) than the third. It is more a series of plot cupons than a coherent plot -- even though there is a plot in the background of course.
I like how Berta's memory charm is slipped by almost unnoticed (I certainly have a tendency to forget it before it comes up again).
Yeah, but then we don't get the remotest hint of what it was that Berta knew that was so interesting.
I'm just thinking, there's actually two things he gets from Berta. The Tri-Wizard Tournament she can give him consciously, then he has to break the memory charm to get to the Crouch thing. It's only the combination of the two that allows the whole kidnapping plan to be set up.
Yes, I think we are told towards the end of the book that the memory charm was to cover Crouch (but it could be my mind playing tricks).
And the reference to "my faithful servant at Hogwarts" is of course meant to throw us at Snape again.
Yeah, I think it's intentionally misleading - makes us think that he's talking about a faithful servant who's at Hogwarts as he speaks, when in fact he means his faithful servant will go to Hogwarts. Of course, if Rowling had made that clearer, it would've been too easy.
Indeed.
What I like, thinking about it, is that this "faithful servant" is someone he has quite possibly never actually met, someone he didn't care at all about before his fall (since Barty Crouch Jr.'s main Death Eater deed dates from after Voldemort's fall), but now suddenly he's so moved that this guy he barely knows has actually remained loyal to him during all that time. And Peter is ticked off not only because he's taking second place to this guy, but because he's taking second place to someone Voldemort didn't even know about until shortly before. And because Voldemort automatically assumes - without having any real knowledge to base that assumption on - that this other guy will be more competent and more reliable than Peter is.
Well, it is not too large a leap of faith

*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Four Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- 16/08/2010 09:28:48 AM
6492 Views
Chapters 1-3: A different beginning
- 16/08/2010 09:30:26 AM
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Early characters
- 16/08/2010 09:32:12 AM
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Re: Early characters
- 16/08/2010 11:02:23 AM
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Early plotting.
- 16/08/2010 09:32:52 AM
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Re: Early plotting.
- 16/08/2010 11:02:09 AM
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It's the things behind the scenes setting up the big plan (spoilers for this and later books)
- 16/08/2010 11:38:14 AM
2824 Views
Re: It's the things behind the scenes setting up the big plan (spoilers for this and later books)
- 16/08/2010 11:47:16 AM
2846 Views
Re: It's the things behind the scenes setting up the big plan (spoilers for this and later books)
- 16/08/2010 12:16:16 PM
3047 Views
Re: It's the things behind the scenes setting up the big plan (spoilers for this and later books)
- 16/08/2010 12:36:30 PM
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Re: Early plotting.
- 17/08/2010 01:15:43 AM
2689 Views
Any other comments/observations
- 16/08/2010 09:33:34 AM
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Mob mentality and British euroscepticism.
- 16/08/2010 10:37:10 AM
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people in groups and baffling violence. And the godawful recaps
- 16/08/2010 11:03:09 AM
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Yeah, I agree about the recaps, they're pointless at this point. *NM*
- 16/08/2010 11:17:37 AM
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Good news! HP really caught on after this book and so the last books don't have a recap! *NM*
- 16/08/2010 03:27:24 PM
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Chapters 4-6 - The Weasleys
- 16/08/2010 09:33:57 AM
2664 Views
Characters - a few new ones
- 17/08/2010 08:22:33 AM
2734 Views
Re: Characters - a few new ones
- 17/08/2010 11:07:43 AM
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Re: Characters - a few new ones
- 17/08/2010 12:18:30 PM
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Re: Characters - a few new ones
- 17/08/2010 12:24:41 PM
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Also on the topic of Amos' talk of Cedric and Harry... (spoilers for end of book)
- 17/08/2010 12:44:19 PM
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Re: Also on the topic of Amos' talk of Cedric and Harry... (spoilers for end of book)
- 17/08/2010 12:47:29 PM
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Oh, I can think of a few more things that will prove relevant. But that's for tomorrow.
*NM*
- 17/08/2010 12:51:50 PM
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*NM*
- 17/08/2010 12:51:50 PM
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And arguably another one of those fun names with a hidden meaning...
- 17/08/2010 07:47:43 PM
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Plotting - anything of note?
- 17/08/2010 08:23:53 AM
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Re: Plotting - anything of note?
- 17/08/2010 11:10:22 AM
2778 Views
The Lovegoods? This is why reading in translation can be annoying...
- 17/08/2010 12:29:50 PM
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Re: The Lovegoods? This is why reading in translation can be annoying...
- 17/08/2010 12:38:09 PM
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I thought that might be it. Yeah, different names in the Dutch translation then. *NM*
- 17/08/2010 12:40:45 PM
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Any other comments/observations.
- 17/08/2010 08:24:20 AM
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Chapters 7-9 - The Quidditch World Cup and Death Eaters
- 16/08/2010 09:34:26 AM
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Characters: Ministers, Mothers, other important people.
- 18/08/2010 12:44:16 AM
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Plotting
- 18/08/2010 12:44:48 AM
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Other stuff.
- 18/08/2010 12:45:13 AM
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Krum Catching the Snitch
- 18/08/2010 02:28:58 AM
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It makes a certain amount of sense, I think...
- 18/08/2010 01:23:46 PM
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Clothes and other schools
- 18/08/2010 09:44:02 AM
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There's a first mention of Beauxbatons in chapter nine.
- 18/08/2010 01:37:14 PM
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Re: There's a first mention of Beauxbatons in chapter nine.
- 18/08/2010 01:45:58 PM
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Chapters 10-12: Back to Hogwarts and the Tri-Wizard Tournament. *NM*
- 16/08/2010 09:34:48 AM
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Characters: introducing Rita Skeeter and Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. *NM*
- 19/08/2010 11:21:29 AM
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Re: Characters: introducing Rita Skeeter and Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.
- 19/08/2010 05:23:11 PM
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Any other comments, observations or revelations? *NM*
- 19/08/2010 11:23:48 AM
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There was that Durmstrang reference I was waiting for.
- 19/08/2010 04:23:16 PM
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Re: There was that Durmstrang reference I was waiting for.
- 19/08/2010 05:41:04 PM
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Chapters 13-15: First lessons, and the arrival of the foreign guests *NM*
- 16/08/2010 09:35:09 AM
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Characters: The Trio, Neville, Moody, first impressions of Karkarov and Maxime *NM*
- 20/08/2010 11:49:04 AM
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Hagrid, Rita, Moody, Neville, Harry, Hedwig, Cedric, McGonnagall, Hermione and Madamme Maxime
- 20/08/2010 12:59:41 PM
2794 Views
Re: Hagrid, Rita, Moody, Neville, Harry, Hedwig, Cedric, McGonnagall, Hermione and Madamme Maxime
- 20/08/2010 02:10:03 PM
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Re: Hagrid, Rita, Moody, Neville, Harry, Hedwig, Cedric, McGonnagall, Hermione and Madamme Maxime
- 20/08/2010 02:20:22 PM
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Re: Hagrid, Rita, Moody, Neville, Harry, Hedwig, Cedric, McGonnagall, Hermione and Madamme Maxime
- 20/08/2010 02:33:04 PM
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Re: Hagrid, Rita, Moody, Neville, Harry, Hedwig, Cedric, McGonnagall, Hermione and Madamme Maxime
- 20/08/2010 02:36:50 PM
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Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 20/08/2010 11:51:43 AM
1443 Views
Plotplotplot (plot makes a funny noise if you say it like that).
- 20/08/2010 01:04:01 PM
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Re: Plotplotplot (plot makes a funny noise if you say it like that).
- 20/08/2010 01:55:29 PM
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Re: Plotplotplot (plot makes a funny noise if you say it like that).
- 20/08/2010 02:04:07 PM
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Anything else to add? *NM*
- 20/08/2010 11:52:05 AM
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Yes. Five things, actually. Magic, Snape, idiocy, apparating while presumed guilty aaand evil films.
- 20/08/2010 01:05:06 PM
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Trelawney, or how one can be a Seer and not even know it.
- 20/08/2010 01:46:09 PM
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Chapters 16-18: The Tri-Wizard Tournament begins *NM*
- 16/08/2010 09:35:31 AM
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Characters: The Champions, Hagrid, Karkarov, and of course Rita Skeeter in person *NM*
- 21/08/2010 01:10:53 PM
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Karkaroff, Moody, Fleur, Krum, Ron, Hermione, Snape and Rita
- 21/08/2010 01:50:12 PM
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Re: Karkaroff, Moody, Fleur, Krum, Ron, Hermione, Snape and Rita
- 21/08/2010 04:24:02 PM
2702 Views
Re: Karkaroff, Moody, Fleur, Krum, Ron, Hermione, Snape and Rita
- 21/08/2010 04:40:39 PM
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Re: Karkaroff, Moody, Fleur, Krum, Ron, Hermione, Snape and Rita
- 21/08/2010 05:06:43 PM
2924 Views
Re: Karkaroff, Moody, Fleur, Krum, Ron, Hermione, Snape and Rita
- 21/08/2010 05:10:53 PM
2678 Views
Oh, you're right, it is then. I thought you meant she said it to Harry.
- 21/08/2010 05:31:49 PM
2892 Views
Re: Oh, you're right, it is then. I thought you meant she said it to Harry.
- 21/08/2010 05:41:44 PM
2771 Views
The teeth comment was by far the best Snape one liner in the series.
- 23/08/2010 09:20:18 PM
2676 Views
- 23/08/2010 09:20:18 PM
2676 Views
Re: The teeth comment was by far the best Snape one liner in the series.
- 23/08/2010 09:22:26 PM
2859 Views
- 23/08/2010 09:22:26 PM
2859 Views
Definitely true
- 23/08/2010 10:02:46 PM
2879 Views
Re: Definitely true
- 24/08/2010 06:20:53 PM
2966 Views
Plotting and writing.
- 21/08/2010 01:12:24 PM
2974 Views
plotting both for the book alone and the series as a whole
- 21/08/2010 01:39:10 PM
2710 Views
Other comments, small details you noticed,...? *NM*
- 21/08/2010 01:12:53 PM
1464 Views
House-elves, Hufflepuff and minds in gutter.
- 21/08/2010 01:35:38 PM
2980 Views
Re: House-elves, Hufflepuff and minds in gutter.
- 21/08/2010 04:55:10 PM
2852 Views
Re: House-elves, Hufflepuff and minds in gutter.
- 21/08/2010 04:59:55 PM
2960 Views
I love the bouillabaisse thing.
- 21/08/2010 05:02:47 PM
2884 Views
Re: I love the bouillabaisse thing.
- 21/08/2010 05:08:40 PM
2915 Views
I associate blancmange more with Britain than with anywhere else...
- 21/08/2010 05:26:17 PM
2742 Views
Re: I love the bouillabaisse thing.
- 21/08/2010 05:12:54 PM
2624 Views
No, no, the pudding and the bouillabaisse are two different things.
- 21/08/2010 05:24:50 PM
2612 Views
Re: No, no, the pudding and the bouillabaisse are two different things.
- 21/08/2010 05:39:06 PM
2921 Views
Hermione really comes into her own in this book.
- 27/08/2010 11:30:38 PM
2527 Views
Agreed, but spending really all her time with those two boys does make it easier...
- 27/08/2010 11:36:20 PM
2710 Views
Re: Agreed, but spending really all her time with those two boys does make it easier...
- 27/08/2010 11:48:19 PM
2726 Views
Chapters 19-21: The first task and House-Elves at Hogwarts *NM*
- 16/08/2010 09:35:53 AM
1454 Views
Characters: The Trio, the Champions, Moody, Dobby and Winky,...
- 23/08/2010 10:40:21 AM
2670 Views
The trio, Neville and the House-elves.
- 23/08/2010 11:07:50 AM
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Re: The trio, Neville and the House-elves.
- 23/08/2010 11:35:56 AM
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Re: The trio, Neville and the House-elves.
- 23/08/2010 11:44:08 AM
2961 Views
Ron and Harry, Winky, various other thoughts.
- 23/08/2010 11:19:21 AM
2630 Views
Re: Ron and Harry, Winky, various other thoughts.
- 23/08/2010 11:56:37 AM
2754 Views
Plotting and writing: the first task and other events *NM*
- 23/08/2010 10:41:20 AM
1475 Views
Good plotting in this section
- 23/08/2010 11:08:50 AM
2781 Views
Anything else you want to comment on? *NM*
- 23/08/2010 10:41:39 AM
1440 Views
I love that there is a book called Men Who Love Dragons Too Much. *NM*
- 23/08/2010 11:09:15 AM
1373 Views
Chapters 22-24: The - rather eventful - Yule Ball *NM*
- 16/08/2010 09:36:30 AM
1350 Views
Characters: The Trio, Champions and their dates, Karkarov, Hagrid and Olympe,...
- 24/08/2010 11:09:33 AM
2838 Views
Ron and Hermione, mainly.
- 24/08/2010 11:47:49 AM
2918 Views
Makes sense.
- 24/08/2010 01:15:37 PM
2641 Views
- 24/08/2010 01:15:37 PM
2641 Views
Re: Makes sense.
- 24/08/2010 03:53:20 PM
2622 Views
- 24/08/2010 03:53:20 PM
2622 Views
Re: Makes sense.
- 24/08/2010 05:00:59 PM
2708 Views
- 24/08/2010 05:00:59 PM
2708 Views
Plotting and writing: a bit of a lull in the tension, perhaps, but there's still a lot going on. *NM*
- 24/08/2010 11:11:49 AM
1506 Views
Yule Ball, preparation and aftermath
- 24/08/2010 11:48:30 AM
2848 Views
Re: Yule Ball, preparation and aftermath
- 24/08/2010 02:18:04 PM
2674 Views
Whatever else you want to say about these three chapters. *NM*
- 24/08/2010 11:12:33 AM
1516 Views
Gender roles, Dobby, national stereotypes, creepy magic and gobbledegook.
- 24/08/2010 11:49:16 AM
2787 Views
Re: Gender roles, Dobby, national stereotypes, creepy magic and gobbledegook.
- 24/08/2010 02:27:51 PM
2705 Views
Re: Gender roles, Dobby, national stereotypes, creepy magic and gobbledegook.
- 24/08/2010 04:15:15 PM
2756 Views
Ron's lasso comment is brilliant. Absolute genius.
- 24/08/2010 02:23:37 PM
2705 Views
Lasso comment?
- 24/08/2010 04:20:35 PM
2738 Views
When discussing methods to separate girls from their gang.
- 24/08/2010 04:27:47 PM
2712 Views
Ah. Hehe. Yes.
- 24/08/2010 04:30:34 PM
2781 Views
It's not really a humourous pun, just a nice find by the translator.
- 24/08/2010 04:45:34 PM
2907 Views
Re: It's not really a humourous pun, just a nice find by the translator.
- 24/08/2010 04:48:50 PM
2759 Views
Holy crap.
- 25/08/2010 02:44:57 PM
2684 Views
Yeah, I don't know if the Google pictures are entirely representative...
- 25/08/2010 03:06:25 PM
2789 Views
Chapters 25-27: The second task and Padfoot's return
- 16/08/2010 09:36:55 AM
2684 Views
Characters: The Trio, Krum, Fleur, Sirius,... *NM*
- 25/08/2010 11:18:49 AM
1403 Views
Snape, Percy, Hermione, Ron, Mrs Weasley and Sirius.
- 25/08/2010 05:31:18 PM
2612 Views
I'm a bit worried about people's reactions to Snape during these discussions
- 25/08/2010 05:41:43 PM
2902 Views
Re: I'm a bit worried about people's reactions to Snape during these discussions
- 25/08/2010 05:45:30 PM
2635 Views
Agreed. Snape is one of the most fascinating characters I have ever read
- 25/08/2010 05:57:12 PM
2755 Views
Fleur shows that, when push comes to shove, she has her priorities straight.
- 26/08/2010 10:54:11 AM
2559 Views
Re: Fleur shows that, when push comes to shove, she has her priorities straight.
- 26/08/2010 11:21:59 AM
2708 Views
Plotting and writing: clues, red herrings and recapitulation *NM*
- 25/08/2010 11:19:47 AM
1452 Views
Merpeople and the second task.
- 25/08/2010 11:34:40 AM
2712 Views
And something else I never understood about the second task
- 25/08/2010 02:32:51 PM
2744 Views
That's a good point, yeah...
- 25/08/2010 03:07:30 PM
2610 Views
Maybe they should have had a magical big screen projection of what was going on in the lake lol
- 25/08/2010 03:57:48 PM
2712 Views
Lots of stuff -- I may have to change my opinion of Rowling's plotting in this book.
- 25/08/2010 05:23:30 PM
2709 Views
Re: Lots of stuff -- I may have to change my opinion of Rowling's plotting in this book.
- 25/08/2010 05:40:39 PM
2767 Views
Re: Lots of stuff -- I may have to change my opinion of Rowling's plotting in this book.
- 25/08/2010 05:42:52 PM
2647 Views
Re: Lots of stuff -- I may have to change my opinion of Rowling's plotting in this book.
- 26/08/2010 11:09:20 AM
2661 Views
Re: Lots of stuff -- I may have to change my opinion of Rowling's plotting in this book.
- 26/08/2010 11:17:36 AM
2797 Views
Marauder's Map.
- 05/09/2010 05:27:17 AM
2703 Views
Other comments. *NM*
- 25/08/2010 11:20:11 AM
1456 Views
Two completely unrelated things.
- 25/08/2010 05:24:26 PM
2712 Views
Re: Two completely unrelated things.
- 25/08/2010 05:36:29 PM
2728 Views
Re: Two completely unrelated things.
- 25/08/2010 05:42:20 PM
2809 Views
Chapters 28-30: Moving towards the climax *NM*
- 16/08/2010 09:37:22 AM
1390 Views
Characters: The Trio, Krum, Karkarov, the Crouch family,... *NM*
- 26/08/2010 12:15:59 PM
1485 Views
Madame Maxime, Crouch, Snape, Twins, Fudge and Neville
- 26/08/2010 02:48:04 PM
2735 Views
Plotting and writing: increasing signs of danger, and revelations about the past. *NM*
- 26/08/2010 12:16:50 PM
1452 Views
Some good plotting here, and some recurring issues.
- 26/08/2010 02:50:29 PM
2688 Views
Re: Some good plotting here, and some recurring issues.
- 26/08/2010 03:38:53 PM
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Re: Some good plotting here, and some recurring issues.
- 26/08/2010 03:51:32 PM
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Chapters 31-33: The third task
- 16/08/2010 09:38:01 AM
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Characters: The Trio, the Champions, Voldemort, Wormtail,,... *NM*
- 27/08/2010 01:32:11 PM
1478 Views
Ron, Mrs Weasley, Madame Maxime, Wormtail, Voldemort, Quirrel
- 27/08/2010 03:50:03 PM
2628 Views
Re: Ron, Mrs Weasley, Madame Maxime, Wormtail, Voldemort, Quirrel
- 27/08/2010 05:09:48 PM
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Re: Ron, Mrs Weasley, Madame Maxime, Wormtail, Voldemort, Quirrel
- 27/08/2010 05:23:14 PM
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Plotting and writing: thrilling action, but also a fair bit of infodump/flashback. *NM*
- 27/08/2010 01:34:13 PM
1462 Views
Stuff happens.
- 27/08/2010 03:50:33 PM
2660 Views
Riddle Family.
- 05/09/2010 05:39:29 AM
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Anything else to add? *NM*
- 27/08/2010 01:34:39 PM
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Chapters 34-37: The climax and the aftermath *NM*
- 16/08/2010 09:38:22 AM
1428 Views
Characters: Well, pretty much all of them, I guess. *NM*
- 28/08/2010 11:04:41 AM
1426 Views
Voldemort, Harry, Dumbledore, Snape, Ron and Hermione
- 28/08/2010 11:57:25 AM
2752 Views
Plotting and writing: tying up, explanations and setting up the future books. *NM*
- 28/08/2010 11:05:33 AM
1438 Views
Revelations and then some
- 28/08/2010 12:02:36 PM
2705 Views
Any other thoughts? *NM*
- 28/08/2010 11:06:03 AM
1453 Views
Two questions and one other thing.
- 28/08/2010 12:03:14 PM
2820 Views
The book as a whole: overall thoughts, comments and obversations
- 16/08/2010 09:39:24 AM
2660 Views
What do/did you think of Rowling's writing in this book?
- 16/08/2010 09:40:03 AM
2773 Views
I think she has more room to display her talent in this book.
- 28/08/2010 11:27:20 AM
2844 Views
Suggestions for the re-read.
- 16/08/2010 09:41:01 AM
2838 Views
Is it possible / easy to make the post an Announcement while it's ongoing?
- 17/08/2010 03:08:31 PM
2684 Views
When should we start the next book? And at which pace?
- 28/08/2010 11:09:07 AM
2966 Views
Re: When should we start the next book? And at which pace?
- 28/08/2010 12:05:31 PM
2929 Views

