The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

As promised, I'm back from my mad week in Hogwarts, am already desperately missing the toasty Florida heat, and come armed with plenty of pictures for you guys to enjoy.

It was my second time to the amazing park, this time there because they opened the expansion (Diagon Alley) three months after my last visit, and I could not rest easy knowing I'd only just missed what would surely be another awesome addition to the already incredible world that Universal had brought to life with Hogsmeade.

The entire week was amazing beyond words, but I'm pretty sure one of the highlights of my week was being chosen in Ollivanders first thing on my birthday morning (oh yeah, the reason why I went there was because of the expansion, but the reason why everyone else came was because I was turning 21. Yay! The satisfaction of handing over my ID that first time on my birthday was something else, let me tell you), and getting my very own interactive wand made of yew, with unicorn hair core; I also got quite a kick out of texting my aunt at 7am that I was outside Leicester Square, then giggling madly to myself because it was 7am, I was still half asleep, and it occurred to me that I had just flown over an entire ocean, only to find myself outside a tube station again.

I'm of the opinion that every Harry Potter fan deserves to go to this park at least once in their life. Years after my first visit, I still had incredibly vivid dreams of walking in Hogwarts, and going to the bathroom, only to hear Moaning Myrtle sob violently through the pipes (by the way, that's not a joke, if you go, you need to stop by the toilets in Hogsmeade, it's hilarious; I'm told she's also in the men's toilets, so it shouldn't be an impediment to hear Myrtle flirt with Harry). Hogwarts has always been my home away from home, and finally having concrete images, feelings and memories to go with the place was indescribable.

The expansion itself was breathtaking. They really outdid themselves with it, and even though the dragon doesn't hold a candle to the beauty of Hogwarts, it does have its' own unique quirks (handy hint and tip: don't stand directly under/in direct proximity to it for very long, or you will have the fright of your life).

And the train journey is truly something to behold. The best part, arguably, is crossing the wall between Muggle Kings Cross and Wizarding Kings Cross. If possible, try to get someone to film you going through, it looks really cool on video - but if that's not an option, make sure to stop for a bit and watch others go through before you do.

And the ride itself, Escape from Gringotts, is exhilarating to the last second. I'm not a big roller coaster fan myself, but absolutely loved this ride - it had just the right amount of coaster, mixed in with simulation, to make it good for both people who love roller coasters, and those who aren't too keen on them.

Having gone on it extensively (you won't believe the miracles of the singles line! It's a godsend, but do make sure to go through the full queue at least once, or you'll miss tons of fun stuff), I can say with absolute certainty that front row on the first cart is the place to be on that ride. The further back you get, the less awe-inspiring the effects are, because you can see all the heads in front of you, and it sort of takes away from the action going on in front of you -- unlike with Forbidden Journey, where, again, having been on it to exhaustion (less so this time around; I must have ridden that thing at least 100 times a couple of years ago), all four seats are pretty amazing, though the fourth seat is more likely to get sprayed by beasties.

That's my week for you guys. I'm going to go curl up in a ball and sleep for the next week, probably, but it was definitely worth it!

Happy Halloween

To celebrate the day, I've compiled a list of some of my 10 favourite supernatural fictional people - most of whom are also creatures that go bump in the night, and that would love to be out and about on Halloween!

1. Selene from the Underworld movies. Topping off the list is one incredible lady which, sadly, will not be returning to the next movies. Still, she was one badass vampire, and took no crap from anyone; I wouldn't want to be on her bad side, that's for sure! She's definitely more likely to kill first, and ask questions later.

2. Second on the list of awesome Halloween-ish creatures, is one dhampir that holds a very dear place in my heart. This Russian God, as he's known throughout his world, goes by the name of Dimitri Belikov, and to quote Rose, 'alive or undead... [he] was a badass'. Couldn't have said it better myself, Rose! Dimitri gets to be on here, even though a dhampir isn't technically so terrifying, because he spent a book and a half as an undead, evil vampire whose sole mission was to enslave all of humanity, with Rose by his side as his Queen of Darkness. Deliciously horrible. I even sometimes miss what me and my friends call Strigmitri, his soulless vampire side!

3. How to follow up from Dimka, right? Well, this is another incredible lady who, even though most people will say they hate her - because she's a psychotic maniac, and you're supposed to hate those people! - the entire fandom actually loves to hate, and I know it. It is, of course, the terrifying Bellatrix Lestrange. In all fairness, much as I love what her character represents, and I absolutely adore the way Helena Bonham-Carter portrays her, I'd be more scared if I bumped into her in a deserted alley than if I did with Voldemort. Dis bitch be crazy...

4. Next is another vampire - they seem quite popular these days haha! - and one that I have loved for all the wrong reasons for way too many years. I fell in love with the bad Salvatore in the books, and of course Ian Somerhalder playing Damon did nothing to diminish my love (on the contrary, in fact). Still, despite his tortured soul and deep-down good heart, you don't want to run across him on a night he's had a fight with Elena...

5. Moving away from the vampires now, let's talk witches again. She's a classic because she was Merlin's nemesis. Beautifully portrayed by Katie McGrath in BBC's Merlin, Morgana Pendragon started out like a lovely, sweet and innocent girl in a court where magic was seen as treason (I still can't look at Giles in Buffy without hearing the echoes of 'SORCERY!' in my head. Uther really needed a chill pill. Or twenty). But she found her magic, turned bad, and by the end of the series, was almost as powerful as Merlin himself. And yes, she does look lovely in a crown.

6. Another good girl-gone-bad situation with magic and a crown involved, comes in the form of the stunning Lana Parrilla, playing the Evil Queen (yes, the one from Snow White), in today's world known as Regina Mills, the tyrannical mayor of the little town of Storybrooke, Maine. Another case of really unfortunate parenting, Regina sets loose a curse that ends all happy endings and brings all fairy tale characters to the human world. She's another lady you don't want to catch on a bad day; and never, ever accept an apple from her, not even if she slips it into your trick or treat bowls! NO APPLES!


7. Moving on to the traditional Halloween costume, we find Helena Ravenclaw, more commonly known as The Grey Lady. The ghost of Ravenclaw House, she's a tad short-tempred, as Harry found out the hard way in Deathly Hallows, but hers is another sad story - and one worthy of Halloween: she was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, but stole her mother's
magical diadem, hoping it would make her smarter. On her deathbed, Rowena sent for her daughter. The man who went searching for Helena, was a Baron (aka The Bloody Baron, the ghost of Slytherin House. Must make for awkward meals!) who harboured amorous feelings towards Helena. Enraged, he killed her when she refused to return with him to her mother, then proceeded to kill himself in despair at what he had done. Hence the blood all over him... That's a tale and a half!

8. Next is one devilishly clever and dangerous imp. We all know him - he's even been in Shrek, for crying out loud! He is, of course, Rumplestilstkin. I'm looking at that name and hoping I spelt it right. It's easier to say than to spell, honestly. But this little guy (or not so little, depending on which version we're talking about!) is not to be trifled with. If you don't avoid any of the others in this list, maybe consider keeping away from him - he'll have you signing away your firstborn before you even know what's going on.

9. Our favourite DADA teacher makes this list because of his... ah... extracurricular activities. By which I mean, of course, he makes a habit of turning into a giant stinking wolf every month. Luckily, Lupin is one of the few people on this list that are on the good side. Still, don't stick around to chat if he's in his wolf form - he won't recognise you, and neither will anyone else once he's done with you!

10. This one actually didn't make it into the movies, but he's my favourite ghost ever, and I think cutting him out was a complete travesty. Especially since they actually did film some scenes with him - the image is one of the few actual footage pictures we have of Peeves the Poltergeist, from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. From water bombs on terrified first-years, to chasing Umbridge out of the castle to the sound of hooves, Peeves, in my opinion, truly embodies the spirit of Halloween of having some spooky fun.



Now I'm going to curl on up on my bed and watch The Corpse Bride, followed by The Nightmare Before Christmas (both because it's about Halloween, but also because it's also about Christmas, so what's not to love?), to get into the mood for some Christmassy fun!

J.K. Rowling's Pseudonym

Yes, you read that right.
Remember, this is not the 1st of April, so I have no reason to be pulling one over you. And trust me, this is very much real news. J. K. Rowling, acclaimed author the Harry Potter series, published a crime novel by the name of The Cuckoo's Calling under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith in April this year.
Rowling, who published her allegedly first adult novel, The Casual Vacancy last year, has confirmed the claims. The Cuckoo's Calling has, quite differently from The Casual Vacancy, done incredibly well - apparently a little too well, as quite a few reviews seemed sure it would turn out to be written by an incredibly famous author; if only they'd known! The Casual Vacancy sold well, but mostly received mixed reviews - in large part thanks to constant comparisons to the Potter books, as I commented here.

Here is the blurb of The Cuckoo's Calling for any of you interested:

"A brilliant debut mystery in a classic vein: Detective Cormoran Strike investigates a supermodel's suicide. After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, thelegendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this."

The Casual Vacancy

I'll be honest - I'm not done with the book. In my defense, The Casual Vacancy is a very large and very heavy book (theme-wise, I mean; it's actually quite light weight-wise, all things considered). However, I feel the need to address all these comments that are going around about how Rowling should have just stuck with Potter.
Now, as I said, I haven't yet finished the book, but even halfway through (hell, even one page in, if you ask me), it's ridiculously obvious that this is nothing to do whatsoever with Potter. I like to think of The Casual Vacancy as Rowling's version of what Daniel Radcliffe did when he took part in Equus: it's a statement, it shocked a lot of people, and many disliked that 'their Harry Potter' was taking his clothes off onstage. But just because some people disliked that Daniel decided to go nude onstage because it went against their views of him as the hero Harry Potter, doesn't mean that the play, or his acting in it for that matter, weren't good; it just means that people were so blinded by their shock at seeing a person they'd come to associate with children do something so scandalously... adult.
The same concept applies to The Casual Vacancy, but with a few extra complications. You see, Vacancy is very clearly an adult novel from the start, and Rowling had been saying so for a while, but it seems as if people didn't actually believe that her 'adult' would entail the normal things you'd find in an adult book: swearing, sexual situations, etc. Why, exactly, Jo Rowling's adult book was expected to be different from other adult books, is still a little unclear to me, as that is what I expect from adult books in general, regardless of the writer, but there you go. To add insult to injury on the wounds of the horrified Potter fans who were no doubt expecting a book perhaps about an adult rather than a teenager, but still a rather tame book, Rowling then throws in a heap - and I do mean a massive heap - of social analysis done with such great skill and precision, it's mind-boggling. But, see, social analysis tends to upset people, because the truth of human nature is far from pretty, and that is what The Casual Vacancy is all about: human nature, and how people react to other people, and the things around them.
There are so many reviews out there that say that Rowling 'tired too hard' to make sure people knew it was an adult book, and that some scenes with swearing and themes such as rape came out 'forced and unnatural'. I know. Shocking in a clearly labelled adult book. Who'd have expected it?  And yet those reviews generally end with the reviewer saying that they are disappointed that Vacancy wasn't more like Potter. I return to my previous point about Radcliffe and Equus, and will quote something my dad told me when I was discussing this with him over the phone the other day: 'I guess it makes sense, in a way, for her to publish it first [before the child's book she had previously mentioned]. She, just like the actors who played her characters in the movies, needs to break the tradition, and step out of the preconceived notion that people have of her as "the one who wrote Harry Potter". Publishing another children's book wouldn't do that half as effectively as an adult book would, and by what you're telling me, she's definitely succeeded in breaking that view that people had of her.' We all know that an actor's greatest nightmare is to be labeled as 'the guy/girl who played X' for the rest of their lives, and I think what people need to realise is that, after 7 books and ten years writing Potter alone, Rowling was faced with exactly the same dilemma.
I do realise that the topics touched in Vacancy can affect some people's delicate views on life and humanity; after all, what kind of monster rejoices in someone's death?
You'd be surprised. You really would.
My advice to anyone trying to decide whether to read Vacancy, is to first ask yourself if you truly know what the book is about, and if you have no expectations of it being in any way similar to Potter. Because if that's what you expect, then it is inevitable that you will be let down. However, if you're just looking for a new great book, brilliantly written, with an astoundingly spot-on review of the human psyche, then I say by all means, go forth and enjoy!

I would also like to make it extremely clear that I grew up with Harry Potter. Harry, Ron and Hermione were my best friends for a while, and I owe a lot of my childhood happiness, as well as a great part of who I am today to those books. However, upon reading that Jo Rowling was going to publish an adult book, I had no illusions that it would be any different from any other adult book out there in regards to language and themes. In fact, I was looking forward to seeing how Rowling would portray those aspects of an adult book, and was pleasantly surprised. I am therefore here just registering my confusion towards my fellow Potter fans who apparently haven't understood Rowling when she adamantly stated that she will not be writing any other books on Hogwarts. Sad as that is, I accepted that fact and moved on. I strongly suggest those people who are outraged by Vacancy to do the same. To quote our favourite headmaster, 'It does not do to live on dreams and forget to live.' A new Potter book is no more than a dream, so just drop it, and enjoy the new masterpiece Jo has given us.

Rowling's New Book

It's been a few weeks already since the news first trickled down through twitter and then burst through to the world: J. K. Rowling, the beloved author of so many, due to Harry Potter, would release a new adult - entirely free from Potter and his world - book later this year.
Well, we now have a title, description, and a date!

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.
Seemingly an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?
Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

The Casual Vacancy will reach bookstores on September 27th. 

Pottermore

A few days ago, the entire Potterbase was abuzz with excitment over more than just the beginning of the midnight showing tickets for Deathly Hallows Part II.
Melissa Anelli (remember her? She the author of Harry, A History which I'm giving away right here!) tweeted about this special quest for 10 letters which would form a word that were supposed to give us a hint about this mysterious new announcment J.K. Rowling would do soon.
The fanbase fell on the news like a bunch of water-starved plants after four years in the desert, eager for that tingling of anxiety and uncertainty swirling around Rowling once more - and what was likely to be the last time with anything Potter-related.
By the end of the day, we had a word: Pottermore.

Tune in again in 5 days to know more about this mystery project of the woman who charmed the world, or follow Pottermore on twitter: @pottermore.