Scan barcode
niniane's review
5.0
I like the analysis about the Hero's journey (with detailed book-by-book grid), the ambiguity of Snape, the way we enter the story each time from the Muggle world, the way clues are laid out to misdirect, the immense backstory. Very educational and entertaining.
chylu's review
5.0
I've read this twice now and dipped in and out several times. It not only reinvigorates my great love for and awe of the HP series and its depth, but more critically, it never fails to nudge me in my own writing with Sipal's examination of the craft at work in these books, and how they so many aspects can be applied to our own writing, regardless of age category or genre. This is a superb writing craft book and also a wonderfully enjoyable read!
verymom's review
5.0
I read this last year as Nanowrimo prep and really enjoyed it. We love the Potter books at our house but I'm not what you'd call a Potterhead or anything. I've never read fan fiction or even gotten into fan art. I have writerly ambitions but absolutely no desire to be the next JK Rowling. So this was an interesting choice to read, no?
Well, I really like reading how-to-write books. I may never write anything readable but I sure like studying and researching how. I call this professional procrastination. Anyway, in some of those books -- especially older ones or ones written by men, I have a hard time getting into the examples they site from books I haven't read. I've read the Potter series myself, then read it to my kids, then listened to the audiobooks with my kids, then reread all the books again leading up to the last two movies, then read the entire series again recently while sick. So I'm pretty familiar with the story -- way more familiar than I am with say John Grisham's 2002 novel which was analyzed in another how-to-write book I was reading. Soooo reading a writer's analysis on the Potter series was actually super helpful; way more helpful really, than anything else I've read on the topic. And it was really fun to boot.
Not being one of the super fans who pored over all of Rowling's clues, it was kind of fun to read this guide and see and learn some stuff I didn't get reading them myself. I feel kind of sad actually, that I missed out on the original JK Rowling site with all those Easter Eggs.
I recommend this if you've read and enjoyed the Potter books, feel sort of writerly yourself, and want to learn a few things about how Rowling may have approached her craft.
Well, I really like reading how-to-write books. I may never write anything readable but I sure like studying and researching how. I call this professional procrastination. Anyway, in some of those books -- especially older ones or ones written by men, I have a hard time getting into the examples they site from books I haven't read. I've read the Potter series myself, then read it to my kids, then listened to the audiobooks with my kids, then reread all the books again leading up to the last two movies, then read the entire series again recently while sick. So I'm pretty familiar with the story -- way more familiar than I am with say John Grisham's 2002 novel which was analyzed in another how-to-write book I was reading. Soooo reading a writer's analysis on the Potter series was actually super helpful; way more helpful really, than anything else I've read on the topic. And it was really fun to boot.
Not being one of the super fans who pored over all of Rowling's clues, it was kind of fun to read this guide and see and learn some stuff I didn't get reading them myself. I feel kind of sad actually, that I missed out on the original JK Rowling site with all those Easter Eggs.
I recommend this if you've read and enjoyed the Potter books, feel sort of writerly yourself, and want to learn a few things about how Rowling may have approached her craft.
chuffwrites's review
4.0
I attended a Harry Potter panel at an HP convention that compelled me to buy this book — it’s a compilation of the lessons and workshops the author has done at various conventions and writer’s panels. I love it. I love Harry Potter, I love reading meta and theories and breakdowns about Harry Potter — there’s nothing that stimulates my creativity more than a whopping dose of Harry, and a critical look at the tactics JKR used to plot her stories and develop her characters is just — perfect to me. Heaven on paper.
More...