Contact CU Independent News Staff Writer/Grapevine Contributor Anna Blanco at anna.blanco@colorado.edu.
**Content warning: minor spoilers ahead**
As revealed in my previous piece, I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, otherwise known as a Potterhead. So, I consider myself to be pretty up to date on anything Harry Potter related. Just a few days ago, three “mini novels” were released on Kindle by J.K Rowling: Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide, Short Stories From Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists, and Short Stories From Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies. For the purpose of this article I will only be discussing the first “mini novel,” Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide.
Based on description of these “Kindle Singles,” they will incorporate some of the content from Pottermore (a website from J.K. Rowling with exclusive Harry Potter content). It will also feature never before seen writings about the series.
Upon opening and reading the first page, it certainly had a Pottermore feel to it. And as a Harry Potter fan, I love the story aspect of the series. The writing thus far has felt pretty historical. There are many characters mentioned, but the information itself is conveyed like that of a history book. Learning some “behind-the-scenes” stuff is cool. For example, did you know that the thestral population in the forbidden forest most likely got to the point it did because that is how some students used to get to school? Whatever the topic (The Hogwarts Express, The Sorting Hat, etc.), a short history is given followed by J.K. Rowling’s thoughts. Then, an interesting tidbit is written by Rowling herself.
I am now a fourth of the way through. I have to admit, this mini novel is not half bad. I am not a huge fan of things like this being released such a long time after the initial series. But I will say that these are interesting little stories that, in my opinion, do a better job of enhancing the stories I know and love, rather than alienating them by making this new story brand new. It includes some information on how certain ideas came about and gives very short histories and stories about different aspects of the Wizarding World. However, it doesn’t feel like a “by the way” add on. It is more of a “this is what I was thinking when this part of the world came to life.”
38% of the way through. I am not nearly as off put by this Kindle Single as I thought I was going to be. Reason being, I already know about all of this stuff: I know where the Hufflepuff Common Room is located, I know about the Sorting Hat and the Marauder’s Map.
What makes this different in my eyes is that it does not feel like so much of an afterthought as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It is a look into the parts of the world that the fans already know about.
Halfway point. I just read a very interesting explanation of the whole time travel situation in the books. I have to say, it answered one of my biggest questions about the series. I appreciate that even with the new information provided in this “Kindle single,” I do not feel that too much is being revealed or hidden. As I said before, it is more of an enhancement than a rewrite. I appreciate the new insights, and am glad that they are not going too far. Even if there was a detail or two that I could have gone without.
Nine and Three-Quarters of the way done. See what I did there? No? Never mind. Anyway, it has been under an hour and I am almost done. This is a super quick read, and is actually pretty satisfying. I have learned little snippets about many parts of the Harry Potter World. Not too much though, just enough.
Book complete. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, and would like to know things that will blow your fandom friends away, you should definitely check out these new Kindle Singles.
