Author Stephen King Says ‘Goodbye’ to Harry Potter

Jul 06, 2007

Posted by: EdwardTLC

Uncategorized

Saying goodbye to the Harry Potter novels is difficult for everyone, author Stephen King, one of the most widely read, popular and prolific writers of our time, is no exception. In a column he wrote for Entertainment Weekly detailing his thoughts on the looming end of the Harry Potter novels, Mr. King eloquently relates the feelings of many Potter fans around the world with the final book by J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, only two weeks away.

He writes:

When it comes to Harry, part of me ” a fairly large part, actually ” can hardly bear to say goodbye. I’d guess that J.K. Rowling feels the same, although I’d also guess those feelings are mingled with the relief of knowing that the work is finally done, for better or worse.

And I’m a grown-up, for God’s sake ” a damn Muggle! Think how it must be for all the kids who were 8 when Harry debuted in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, with its cartoon jacket and modest (500 copies) first edition. Those kids are now 18, and when they close the final book, they will be in some measure closing the book on their own childhoods ” magic summers spent in the porch swing, or reading under the covers at camp with flashlights in hand, or listening to Jim Dale’s recordings on long drives to see Grandma in Cincinnati or Uncle Bob in Wichita. My advice to families containing Harry Potter readers: Stock up on the Kleenex. You’re gonna need it. It’s all made worse by one unavoidable fact: It’s not just Harry. It’s time to say goodbye to the whole cast, from Moaning Myrtle to Scabbers the rat (a.k.a. Wormtail). Which leads to an interesting question ” will the final volume satisfy Harry’s longtime (and very devoted) readers?

Mr. King answers that question, going on to talk about the possible endings of the book, he predicts Deathly Hallows won’t end in a 10-second blackout, and ultimately wraps up this splendid column by saying:

But there’s comfort. There are always more good stories, and now and then there are great stories. They come along if you wait for them. And here’s something I believe in my heart: No story can be great without closure. There must be closure, because it’s the human condition. And since that’s how it is, I’ll be in line with my money in my hand on July 21.

And, I must admit, sorrow in my heart.





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.