At 27, I finally finished reading Harry Potter.
Discovering the Harry Potter phenomenon in my late 20s
Author’s Note — I’ll preface with the obvious: J.K. Rowling has made transphobic statements in the last several years and her remorseless rhetoric continues to harm transwomen in particular.1 It’s difficult to talk about Harry Potter without talking about J.K. Rowling, but in this one instance, I want to separate the art and the artist to relish in the fantastical world Rowling created for children and young adults years prior. I am not here to talk about or debate on J.K. Rowling; let’s keep it about HP.
Until fairly recently, I had difficulty finishing books that I started. My attention span as a child was very fleeting especially once I had regular access to the internet. I found it irritating to read long, bulky stories and it led me to give up after only reading a couple of chapters. If a story was one in a series of many, my chances of seeing said story to the end were zero.
Maybe I had commitment issues. Maybe there was a fear of disappointment once I completed a series. Whatever my reasons, I was never able to check Harry Potter off from my reading list. What originally was a challenge to my younger self turned into a decades-long journey. Time after time, I picked up Sorcerer’s Stone, got to Chapter 7 ("The Sorting Hat") or earlier, and got uninterested in finishing.
At 27, I finally finished reading through (and watching) the Harry Potter series! The quest began a few years ago when my partner, who had only ever watched the movies, and I decided we would try and read through each of the books and then compare them to their film adaptations. After about four years, our not-so-short buddy read and movie club ended in December last month. We finally finished reading Deathly Hallows and spent some of our holiday time watching Part One and Part Two with my kuya.
While it took us longer than we anticipated, by prolonging the series, I felt that we 1) didn’t burn ourselves out which I know would have discouraged me from finishing all seven books and 2) gave ourselves the opportunity to appreciate each book for what it offered. I got to spend more time pondering each character’s actions and significance to Harry Potter’s journey as well as imagine the context of the real world when each book was published. I laughed. I cried. Certain character arcs and plot twists surprised me. But most of all, I finally feel like I understand the impact of Harry Potter on the world.
It seems silly to say that a book series, especially one that is considered children’s literature, has had an everlasting impact on pop culture. But when I walk into a Barnes and Noble and see the mountains of Harry Potter memorabilia (probably has to do more with consumerism than culture but I suppose they are inextricably linked) or when I see kids today reading Prisoner of Azkaban and pestering their parents about when they’ll get their acceptance letter in the mail, I can’t help but be in awe over what the magical world of Harry Potter has built over time. I’d at least argue that it helped revive an interest in reading and literature for young kids in the early 2000s. If it weren’t for these books, I know my kuya (and other kids like him) wouldn’t have developed an apt reading habit so early on in their lives. If it weren’t for Harry Potter, I don’t think series like Percy Jackson would have had a chance to shine.2
I now understand why my brother’s copy of Order of the Phoenix (my favorite in the series) was passed around from cousin to cousin. I now understand why my kuya wanted to buy a copy of Deathly Hallows at the airport after coming home from a family vacation in the Philippines (and subsequently finished it by the end of the night). I now understand why so many of my friends have reread this series when they need comfort in their lives.
So, why now? Couldn’t I have lived the rest of my life without reading these books? Admittedly, yes, I did not need to read the Harry Potter series nor was it my biggest priority in my life. But, I had always felt like I was missing out on a big piece of pop culture. Not only did I not read the books growing up, but I also never watched all the movies either. If it wasn’t free on ABC Family, I wouldn’t have many opportunities to watch the other Harry Potter films.3
All in all, I appreciate what Harry Potter, both in text and on screen, has created for children, young adults, and adults alike: a refuge from reality, a space to ponder death and process grief, and a lesson on love and bravery. I wish I pushed myself more as a kid to read these books, but I suppose better late than never, am I right?
From your fellow Ravenclaw.
Until next time,
Marj ✨
I admittedly am not the best person to divulge the details of Rowling’s anti-trans timeline of comments and can express that I also do not truly know the full damage of her comments to the trans community because I am neither directly nor indirectly part of the trans community. I only know what I have read and only understand what I have managed to discuss in my sphere which may not be as robust as your sphere. Always happy to learn more! Always happy to have more discussions!
While I haven’t ever read the entirety of the Percy Jackson series, I know many people who have! It’s a fun distinction, often relative to age or generation, to chat about whether you were a Harry Potter kid or a Percy Jackson kid—I was neither. My kuya was Harry Potter and my little brother was Percy Jackson! If that doesn’t portray their ten-year age gap, I don’t know what will.
Funny enough, I watch Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 with my kuya and cousin in theaters but do not remember a single detail about the film. To be fair, I don’t remember much of my life at that age.