Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? by Nancy Solon Villaluz
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Book Reviews of Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons?
Book Review: Truly Surprising!
Summary: 5 Stars
I love the Harry Potter books and have wanted to know more about Rowling's own thoughts on her series. This book delivered big time!
When I read the dustjacket's "you may find the need to go back and read the Harry Potter books again... for the first time," I was deeply intrigued, but I doubted it was true. After all, as a smart reader who'd read the Harry Potter series twice, and has also digested many other Potter-analysis books over the years, I didn't think I could have missed much. My, my... was I wrong. This book really lived up to its promise.
After reading "Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons" and being swept away by the unique narrative style, I am pleasantly surprised to say that I am deeply impressed on so many levels. Mrs. Villaluz has worked very hard, and cleverly, to uncover truly surprising clues and patterns which Rowling left all over the place. 'Does Harr Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons?' unveils how Rowling's own knowledge of her faith, and Rowling's skill at tickling dragons very lightly, factor very impressively into Harry's literary success. Indeed, the Harry Potter books are not just part of the Engligh-Christian tradition literature which all seem to point to some greater story, as other Potter analysts usually assert. Oh no... J.K. Rowling has been much sneakier than that. (And much more deliberate than that.)
When you first start this book, you may wonder what you're getting yourself into, or you may immediately settling in to its interesting narrative gait. Either way, it is an enjoyable metaphorical journey. But what you take from this book is up to you. Some critics of this book (tickled/poked 'dragons' to be sure) have 'shot the messenger' (Villaluz) because they don't like what Villaluz discovered -- the truth of what Rowling has done, by Rowling's own much-ignored admissions and long-lost interviews. Oh well. I greatly admire Mrs. Villaluz's courage, tenacity, determination, stunning wisdom, and even whimsey that was undoubtedly required to create this work.
Quite notably, Mrs. Villaluz spent five long years toiling in full-time Potter/Rowling reasearch, study, and writing before publishing a single word. She holds the distiction of being the only author to undertake anything like this kind of study during Rowling's actual publication years, yet patiently held her tongue until after Rowling completed her Potter series. We, the readers, benefit greatly from this author's unparalleled patience and diligence. And so, this book sparkles and shines in its brilliant research at a level that no one else had ever done before. Absolutely no one.
Altogether, this book is a landmark literary feat that will be delighting, informing, stirring, and amazing willing readers for generations to come!
I am eagerly awaiting the second installment of this "Does Harry Potter Tickle..." series. It's shaping up to be a very cool, and very unique, trilogy. Can't wait!
5 stars is not enough for this book. 7 stars!
Book Review: How did I love this book? Let me count the ways...
Summary: 5 Stars
1) This book made me feel like I was Harry walking alongside Dumbledore in Half-Blood Prince, discovering things I really wanted to know: Having no idea where we were going, but trusting wise, playful Dumbledore to get us there.
2) I would never find time to read everything Rowling told us to read (by E. Nesbit, E. Goudge, etc.), so I appreciate finding out what I've been missing there from this author... which is a lot!
3) This book satisfied huge chunks of my curiosity, and unawareness, about J.K. Rowling-- this author's knowledge of whom is just staggering. (I'm now giving Mrs. Villaluz a standing ovation for this one: you just can't see me doing it.)
4) The Harry Potter books appeal equally to children and adults, which is a tall order to fill. That feat is seldom accomplished by published Potter analysis, but I believe that this imaginative, multi-level book appeals to both young readers and merely young-at heart readers alike: dreamers, seekers, scholars, theologians, and philosophers.
5) As a Christian myself, I'm weary of accusations that Harry Potter is anti-Christian and will corrupt me and/or my children. Sure, that book-burning argument is losing steam after dragging on for so long, but it still rears its well-intentioned, but ugly, head far too often in social circles; even if it's not in the media much anymore. So, my biggest delight in this spectacular book (selfishly enough, I suppose) is that it definitively proves me right! Harry Potter is just as "extremely moral" as Rowling said his books are. Rowling explored more of her own professed Christianity in her books than even I, as a Potter defender, had ever dreamed! Yet, I can't believe how easy Rowling made it for those of us who were largely wading around in the "plot shallows," as Mrs. Villaluz calls it, to overlook those things. I read Rowling's entire series twice, but had missed a ton of Rowling's deeper-level occurrences and themes: until now.
6) I most love this book because, at last, someone has finally put years and years of Rowling's spoken "puzzle pieces" of her intentions together into one convenient book. Though people interpret Harry Potter any way, and every way, that they want, this book seeks -- and finds -- what Rowling's intentions are: and whose opinion matters more than Rowling's when it comes to fully understanding Harry Potter?
Lastly---
7) I love this book because it took me on a worthwhile journey, wowed me with its encyclopedic wealth of information while doing so, and left me wanting more. The good news is: there is a second installment of this trilogy forthcoming. I just wish I knew when.
Book Review: Fearlesssly Courting Controversy: Truth-Lovers Rejoice!-- Sleeping Dragons Beware!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Like the Harry Potter books themselves, the extremes in opinion over this new book piqued my interest, so I finally bought my own copy to decide for myself. You may wonder, is there anything particularly 'magical' about this book? Is there something new that sets this book apart from other Potter analysis? Yes! In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I just added it to the very top of my Amazon Potter-Listmania list.
As an adult, long-term Harry Potter fan who just finished this book, it's apparent to me that what you bring to this book will definitely affect what you are able take away from it. For example: prejudices against Rowling's declared religion and her purposefully structured religious undertones would certainly explain why some folks could possibly write such bad reviews of this book. Now that I have read it unbiased for myself, it's clear to me that any negative reactions are NOT a reflection of the quality or accuracy of the excellent workmanship and scholarship in this book (which are very excellent, in fact). I can only deduce that the divergent reactions to this provocative book simply boil down to a quote (that I read in this book) from J.K. Rowling herself; 'A book is like a mirror: if a fool looks in, you can't expect a genius to look back out.' (Ms. Rowling's words, not mine.)
The amount of new scholarship and insights in this book will surely interest any true Potter fan. When you get your copy of `Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons?', I suggest you settle into it at a nice cozy location. Pace yourself. Enjoy the artfully crafted, well structured journey. Savor the myriad of information that Nancy Solon Villaluz serves up in such a palatable fashion. Most of all; get ready to peer into J.K. Rowling's world and imagination in long-overlooked but hugely important territory.
In conclusion, I'm actually going to step out and predict that Nancy Solon Villaluz' Harry Potter analysis trilogy (of which this is the first installment) will continue to be both loved and hated in extremes (with haters being a small yet loud minority, as with the Potter books). Mark my words: readers will either say, "Wow! That was wonderful," or "Wow! I hate and refute it with all my might," but make no mistake: either way they WILL continue to say "Wow!" to this amazing book.
A must-read book/series that seems destined for greatness and will surely take the world of Potter by storm!
Book Review: A must-read! Impeccable research, mountains of surprising new info, & a refreshing writing style.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a truly landmark work! I was captivated and intrigued by this journey through the hidden secrets and intentions of J.K. Rowling and her Harry Potter books. Indeed, I will now have to enjoy the Harry Potter series all over again.
It seems to me that Mrs. Villaluz kept in mind that Harry Potter fans widely range from ages 9-90 in her writing style, and I commend her for neither dumbing-down too far for the adult readers of Harry Potter, nor being too high-browed for teens and tweens. I imagine this was not an easy task. But I very much enjoyed the metaphorical narrative and I felt it was well in-line with the spirit of the Potter books themselves. Mrs. Villaluz's writing style is rather like a favorite teacher or a favorite aunt: friendly, playful, forthright, endlessly knowledgeable, and yet mysterious. Actually, that makes her rather like Dumbledore, too. And I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Problematically, if you are anti-Christianity, you are NOT likely to enjoy what J.K. Rowling had to say about her Harry Potter books, as wonderfully documented in "Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons?" nor might you appreciate the evidence and examples presented in this extremely well-researched book. Oh well.
However, I think that everyone else WOULD appreciate the vast array of information presented by Mrs. Villaluz in this impressive book. In any case, I now see for myself why most love this Sleeping Dragons book, yet some hate it. I myself am one who loved it.
As Rowling herself said of her Harry Potter books, "A book is like a mirror, if a fool looks in you can't expect a genius to look out." Indeed, after reading "Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons?" I can say that Nancy Solon Villaluz is quite a genius, and has thoroughly smashed seemingly every ignorance I once had about Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling. I eagerly anticipate the second installment of this trilogy.
Astounding! I highly recommend this book.
Book Review: A Delightful Read with Fantastic Insights and Refreshing Enthusiasm!
Summary: 5 Stars
Bravo!!! Nancy Solon Villaluz has done what someone should have done a long time ago, and done it exceptionally well. If you've ever read the Harry Potter stories and loved them, you must read this book. It doesn't bore us with things we already know or rattle off trivia. Instead, it's a serious (but mysterious and very entertaining) read for us "N.E.W.T.-level" Potter fans. Just when I thought Harry Potter was over, it turns out that I'd only scratched the surface.
Even if you have never read the Harry Potter stories because of opponents like Laura Mallory and her "get satanic Harry out of our schools" campaign, read this book for yourself first! All the facts are here. Those critics have been scoring goals for the wrong team and didn't know it. I bet that Mrs. Villaluz's landmark work will begin the slow turning of that massive tide. Kudos to both Mrs. Villaluz and to J.K. Rowling for their achievements in this area despite great opposition from many adversaries.
I admit that this book left me just a tiny bit unsure in the very beginning, but by the time I finished it I totally understood why the author started off rather gently. It's almost like she was "whistling through the graveyard" knowing that her pockets were full of "dynamite" research all along. Like Dumbledore who starts out with his "Nitwit, Oddment, Blubber, Tweak" speech in the first Potter installment, Mrs. Villaluz's knowledge and wisdom is also much, much deeper than she initially lets on.
I was taken by surprise by the water-tight case for the "deeper level" story that J.K. Rowling very purposely included (by her own admission), but which Rowling also left us free to ignore (and which most of us did). I am now grinning with glee at the thought of giving a copy of "Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons?" to a few of my Harry-hating friends.
I'll be referencing this book again and again.
Highly recommended!