Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Disclaimer: Spoilers abound. Proceed at your own risk.

A mighty good read, and a worthy conclusion to a phenomenal series. J.K. Rowling has outdone us all with her remarkable plotting, weaving a gripping tale with such vividity and poignancy that it'd be impossible not to be moved and unreservedly impressed, especially for those who have grown up with the characters.

And as if taking a leaf from Orwell's book (pun intended), she has satirised the series (the Nazi regime being of particular interest) to ensure her books a place among the literary classics. As if it wasn't enough that they have become the best-selling tombs in modern history, and she herself is set to rival Roald Dahl as one of the favourite children's fiction author of all-time, becoming a billionaire in the process.

I'm now overwhelmed with this warm, fuzzy feeling after reading the exhilarating ending, and the genial epilogue. The resolution certainly didn't disappoint, and the final showdown must have been the climax of all the climaxes. I could virtually feel myself in the Great Hall, withholding my breath as I witness the duel that had been hinted at since the Prophecy was revealed.

Of course, the deaths were disturbing, especially the one of a certain house-elf, but the character that has seared himself into my memory is probably the one who redeemed himself eventually, as most would have guessed.

Before I give away any more of the story, I think it's time to stop gushing and let those who haven't read it for themselves. Cheerios.

Harry Potter

OMG it's down to the last book. I'm gonna get my greedy paws on "Deathly Hallows" (DH) in less than 12 hours. But I probably wouldn't be able to finish it tomorrow because I have a symposium to attend. =(

I wouldn't declare myself an ardent Potter fan, but the release of a new HP book never fails to excite me. I pre-ordered the last 2 books in the series and eagerly devoured them whole on the first day of release, which is what I intend to do for DH as well. And since DH is the grand finale, I've done some revision in the form of watching "Order of the Phoenix" (OotP) (how convenient!), and listening to the "Half-Blood Prince" (HBP) audiobook in the last couple of weeks. Heh, eye power preservation. I shall save the reading for tomorrow.

I was introduced to Harry and gang when I was in Sec 1, thanks to Ms. Kala. That seems like eons ago, before most of the population caught the HP fever. Harry and gang were 11 then, when I was 13. Now I'm 20 and they're gonna be 17.

It's actually quite cool to be able to grow up along, and identify with the characters, as they grapple with issues we encounter as students - exam stress, teenage angst, infatuations, rivalry, etc. It helps that the series has progressed from juvenile fantasy to darker, more brooding themes at about the same rate I shed my innocence and got inducted into the realities of the adult world. I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the series as much had I been a kid or adult.

And so it's with great anticipation, and a little sadness (knowing that it's coming to an end) that I await the final conclusion to a significant chapter in my growing-up years. Let the magic begin.

One Run, Two Movies, Three Books

Batallion run yesterday. It was fun, but mighty exhausting, considering the longest distance I've done in 4 months is 2.4km. Torrential rain at the end saved us from static exercises (euphemism for numerous repetitions of push-ups, crunches, jumping jacks and what nots). Anyway it was the first time I was told to seek "shelter" under a tree during a thunderstorm. We were soaked (still standing under the tree, mind you) by the time the briefings ended.

Determined not to squander the half-day off we were forced to clear, I asked zejia out for a rendezvous. Accompanied him to NYGH to help out with their drama production after lunch and I must say he's a pro director! So 佩服. LOL.

We then watched "The World's Fastest Indian" with Yuling. I fell asleep at the beginning coz it's rather boring and I was so tired. A very down-to-earth plot based on a real story, kept afloat mostly by the incredible portrayal by Anthony Hopkins. "Overcomes its formulaic storyline thanks to Anthony Hopkins' warm and endearing portrayal of an age-defying thrill seeker", to quote Rotten Tomatoes. Not exactly the most inspirational movie I've watched, but the happy ending is both heart-warming and fulfilling for the audience who've traversed this long and enjoyable journey along with old Burt Munro, mishaps and all.

A happy ending was not to be for "King and The Clown", however, though it was still a good movie IMHO. Dubbed the Korean version of "Brokeback Mountain", it tells a touching and tragic story of "a delicately effeminate male clown caught between the affections of a despotic king and a fellow performer". It's not so much the homosexual element that stirs, but rather the engaging plot and nuanced acting. At once humourous, entertaining, shocking and melancholic, it calls on the audience's various emotions as the story unfolds, and successfully develops the characters such that you feel for them, and understand the motivation behind their actions.

I've also had some food for thought with "The Kite Runner", "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" in recent weeks. As most of you would know, the first 2 are recommended by NLB, and they are indeed very good books, especially "The Kite Runner". The prose is simple but effective, and you can read it like any other novel though it's very much a piece of accomplished literature filled with metaphors, irony, and themes such as love, betrayal, identity, etc.. "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet In Heaven", both by Mitch Albom, on the other hand, are inspirational stories which carry certain lessons for the reader. Not my favourite genre, and I tend to forget all those "lessons" almost immediately after I put down the book, but enjoyable reading material nonetheless.

Catching "Pirates" tomorrow, and I've got a few new CDs. Might post some short impressions tomorrow if I have the time. Ciao.

A book & a CD

Just finished "Greenwich", a pretty short book by some NYT bestselling author. Not really thought-provoking or particularly intriguing, but a good read nevertheless. Just realised how much I enjoy reading novels, even though I haven't read many in the past 2 years. Actually it's a great pastime, esp. when you have nothing to do while waiting for a bus or on the MRT. Much more fruitful than trying to ogle at chio-bus or shuai-ges because they are practically non-existent. =X

Also bought a new CD (my 4th this month!): Mika Nakashima's "Best" album. Actually going by her Jap name, should be "Naka(中)shima(岛) Mi(美)ka(嘉)". And the Japanese call Ayumi "Hama(滨)saki(崎) Ayumi(步)", not the other way round. Learnt that when I was on exchange programme in Japan. So weird right, why change the sequence? Just like we call Zhang Ziyi, but the American must call her Ziyi Zhang. Then we're all fine with Gong Li, but not Lee An - he's Ang Lee in the US. Haha I know this's lame.

Anw Mika's "Best" is more listenable than Utada Hikaru's (the seq matches the Jap version in this case - 宇多田 光). There's a certain lulling and sensual quality to her voice, though I am not a fan of her falsetto techniques. A pity there are only 14 tracks. If you're into Jpop, you shouldn't give Mika a miss, coz she's up there (diva status) with Ayumi, Utada Hikaru, Mai Kuraki, Namie Amuro, etc. just tt she doesn't have tt much exposure in Singapore.

In case you're wondering, the 4 CDs I bought are:
1. Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company
2. Kate Bush - Aerial
3. 陈绮贞 - 华丽的冒险
4. Mika Nakashima - Best

Yeah, I'm such a spendthrift..

The Rule of Four

Thought the last entry was getting too long, so I'll post this as a separate entry.

I actually wanted to discuss this book that I finished recently, entitled "The Rule of Four". It's so called "the Da Vinci Code for smart people". I didn't read this book because of that punch line if that's what you're wondering. It's just that I really enjoyed the Da Vinci Code and wanted to see what I could get out of this book. Anw the plot isn't all that fantastic, neither is the writing. The latter critique is not meant in terms of substance (i.e. the vocab and the academic stuff discussed), where it totally trumps Dan Brown's writing (as expected coz the authors are from Princeton and Harvard), but in terms of style.

Whereas the Da Vinci Code gets your adrenaline pumping with vivid descriptions and exhilarating action coupled with controversial notions, the Rule of Four is relatively slow paced, and its storyline is propelled as much by the relationship of the protagonist and his 3 buddies as it is by the main plot about this ancient book that I still can't spell. Not that it's a bad thing, coz I was pretty inspired when I was reading the book, and there were many lines which I felt were quote-worthy.

Another interesting thing about this book is that it's written in the present tense. I dun take literature so I dunno what's the purpose of it, but it was pretty weird at first reading it coz every other novel I have come across is written in the past tense. Also, the story is set in Princeton, so perhaps ZR should take a look at it to get an idea of what Princeton is like. LOL. I find the Nude Olympics (which has been scraped according to the book at the end. what a pity) and eating clubs quite fascinating.