Felix Kraus Kraus itibaren Bhagoke, Pakistan
the book i like most from the whole Harry Potter series. The whole thing is like a good mystery novel--every little detail makes sense in the end. However, the level of difficulty isnt too high and so makes it a suitable novel for elementary children.
I was really looking forward to reading this book, but was ultimately very, very disappointed. As many other reviewers have pointed out, it could seriously have done with a better editor (if it had one at all). Not only is there far too much rambling description (four pages describing a supernatural yoga class! Where nothing happens except for people doing yoga!!) and irrelevent dialogue, but I was also struck by inconsistencies and some serious lack of understanding by the American author of British culture. Being pedantic as I am, I have to point these out: 1: Despite being an Oxford scholar and presumably being used to seeing ancient architecture on a daily basis whilst living there, Diana is "dumbfounded" by the sight of a Tudor manor house. (Really?! They're all over the place!) 2: Hamish - who is Scottish, hence the name - prefers to drive a Jeep to a Land Rover, as he finds its "hypermasculinity amusing" (as he's also Gay). In the first place, I'd be hard-pressed to count the number of times I've even seen a Jeep on an English or Scottish road on one hand. Also, Jeeps are really not associated with masculinity over here (due to the fact that nobody drives them). 3: At one point two "freshers" go missing. This is explained as "the university's slang term for new students". It's actually a very commonly used British slang term for new university students at any campus. Not unique to Oxford (or even the upper echelons of academia...or even academia) at all. 4: And finally (and this is as far as I could bear to read). Matthew the Vampire explains that he was in Scotland with Hamish (he's Scottish!! And Gay!!!) Diana knows of Hamish as "the man the newspapers want to run for Parliament so he can be chancellor of the exchequer". Matthew the Vampire then (whilst adjusting his yoga bag) says that Hamish will not be running for Parliament (the sub-text being that it is because he is Gay). Diana exclaims "So he IS gay!" Gay he may well be, but that would certainly not stop him from running for parliament, or indeed becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer in our fair and liberal country. And that was as much as I could take. I read up to page 162 (out of 688) before sadly, calling it a day.