Why do we love Harry so much?December 31, 2002 Dr. George L. Sik(Epsom, Surrey) 18 out of 20 found this review helpful
From the book's cynical cover, you might get the impression that this is going to be one of those anti-Harry tracts from some loony fundamentalist, but it's nothing of the sort. It's actually a very astute dissection of the times we live in and why we have rushed to embrace the Harry Potter phenomenon. It is very funny and refers to detail in J.K. Rowling's books that only a true fan would appreciate. I get the impression that Andrew Blake perhaps started out wanting to be more savage but found himself seduced by the magic (as did everyone else!) As it stands, the book is both an attempt to explain Rowling's gift as an alchemist, turning a lot of relatively familiar ingredients into pure gold, and a portrait of Britain's place in the world today. It's an ideal gift for those people you VERY occasionally meet who say 'Harry Potter? I just don't get it...'
