From: MalibuInc at aol.com <MalibuInc>
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2000 19:39:55 EDT

At the risk of being very unpopular, I must say The Goblet Of Fire is my least favorite Potter book. The story really doesn't justify the length. Voldemort appears in the beginning and then at the end. In between is a bland coming of age story. Rowling is out of her league when she is trying to write about how boys behave. Harry seems to have a crush on Ron. He pouts and moans when Ron won't talk to him. Boys don't do this. In order to settle arguments boys go out in the school yard and have a fist fight. Afterwards they're best of friends again. Boys don't sulk and pout over one another.

One of Rowling's great achievements in the previous books was her ability to make jokes about magic without winking at the reader. In The Goblet Of Fire the jokes elicit groans.

I didn't care about the supposed major character who died because he wasn't a major character. On top of this, his death isn't even heroic. He gets zapped doing nothing. Wouldn't it have been better if he died fighting along side Harry? Voldemort can't even beat a child. Why would anyone follow him?

I think The Goblet Of Fire would have been a much better book with some judicious editing.

Preston McClear
Received on Thu 07 Sep 2000 06:39:55 PM CDT