I’m not going to talk about American Idol today because I didn’t like the show last night at all.  I didn’t think anyone sounded very good and I was nearly blinded several times by Paula’s plunging neckline, which left me feeling uncomfortable and nervous for her.  The only thing I liked was Allison’s hair.  It was rockin’…

I will tell you, however, that I finally finished the Harry Potter series.  I know I’m a couple years late on this, but I have to say that those books were brilliant.  Brilliant as in that may be the best series of our generation.  I am actually a little sad today that it’s over.  I miss Harry, Ron and Hermione.  The story was written so well that I actually felt I was a part of that world when I read the books and when I closed book 7 last night, I felt a pang of regret that it was over.

I must admit that I was one of those people who did not read the books because of the witchcraft aspect of the storyline.  I bought the whole idea of them being evil hook, line and sinker.  But, I was wrong.

Yes, the books center on young witches and wizards in training and I don’t diminish the fact that we have to be careful how closely we tread to such practices, but the storyline of Harry Potter is complete fantasy.  It’s the folklore surrounding witchcraft that makes up the story, but the theme is good verses evil and the power of love to conquer evil.  In fact, after awhile, the magical part of the books became just a back story.  I was more enraptured with the characters – with Harry’s reconciliation with the death of his parents; with Ron and Hermione’s obvious attraction; with Dumbledore’s wisdom on life, love and peace; with Fred and George’s ability to find the humor in any situation, no matter how bleak.  Those were the things that stood out to me.  The magic just faded into the background.

In fact, book 7 is ripe with Christian imagery and from the research that I’ve done on J.K. Rowling, that was intentional.  I was pleasantly surprised by this fact. 

Rowling does not practice witchcraft, as was widely circulated among Christian circles.  She simply had a story to tell.  And, we must remember that Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia also involved witches, wizards and magic as a means to tell a story.  Gandolf was a good wizard, much along the lines of a Dumbledore.  The White Witch in Chronicles was evil, much along the lines of Voldemort or Bellatrix Lestrange.

I do not think that the Potter series is as rich in imagery as Lord of the Rings or Chronicles, but in ranking those three series, I would place Rowling’s books third on the list.  It’s that good.

I don’t think that I would read these books to my kids, however, for several reasons.  First, there are over 4,000 pages to read and my kids can hardly sit still for a short picture book.  Second, there are themes within those books that I think are far too mature for young children.  I won’t even show them the movies for that reason alone.  The story is fantastic, but it is dark and I just don’t think my kids are ready to process the messages and images presented at such a young age.  I also won’t allow them see Lord of the Rings for the very same reason.  It’s too dark and too scary.

When they get older, I will be happy to let them begin reading these stories and possibly see the movies if they’re even interested by then.  But before then, in my opinion, these books are a little too much.

It is my hope that my children will one day have an appreciation for good literature and good story telling.  I hope they will consume books and fall in love with the characters.  Harry Potter is an easy character to fall in love with and at the end, his story is redemptive. 

Now I am going to take a break and catch up on sleep because I am just exhausted.