Day Three: Favorite Series

While I am still reconciling my feelings about the series since She Who Must Not Be Named is AWFUL (to say the least), this is technically still my favorite series though it may change in the future. HP had a huge impact on me as a kid and once I got more into the fandom as an adult, it was a safe space. This series is far from perfect, but it is (was?) my favorite for a long time.
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    I’ve read each of these books countless times. I love this series so much!

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    I think the big part of the reason why it’s hard for me (and maybe others too) to let go of the series is the memories I made while reading the series. The books aren’t that technically great, imho. and it’s all personal and I know that it’s ok to separate the work from the creator, but it’s hard when SWMNBN is so vocal about her bigoted views.

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      Totally agree. I reread the series every year and as an adult I could see all of the flaws, but there was good in the story. I was always emotional when it ended. The movies really do make me happy, but the fact that she is a bigot and double downs on it is just so angering, baffling and IRONIC. I mean, did she not even read her own books! There is definitely lack of diversity and insensitivities in it, but the fact that she can’t see the correlation between her views and the Death Eaters/HWMNBN is infuriating. It makes me so angry.

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        Yea! And all the actors/crew members who took part in the movies. So much good came out of the series.

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    I don’t usually say this, but I feel like this is one of the few instances where you can separate the art from the author – because this series became its own thing, a cultural phenomenon that impacted so many people in so many ways. It sucks that SWMNBN is terrible but I don’t think you should let that diminish the meaning of the series to you. I’m not saying you should ignore her behavior either – she sucks and needs to be called out forever for it. But I it’s OK to still say you enjoyed the series and that it’s meaningful while still not supporting the writer or her views.

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      I was reading a lot of comments when it all blew up and someone pointed out that the fandom is really what made HP great. SWMNBN created the world and it wouldn’t exist without her, but it was really fans who took it to the next level and created the culture. I’m trying to remember that.

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        That is kind of what I think makes it the exception to the rule – it was so big and so meaningful it took on a life of its own. Sure, SWMNBN created it and kept feeding tidbits to keep it alive, but it also spurred so many people to connect to one another. It’s part of the lexicon and even those who haven’t read it understand it. I think that while she is problematic and I hate the connection, it isn’t enough to mar the good the series did or the communities it created. If we let her destroy our love for HP then we are the ones who lose here, because sometimes art takes on a life of its own. Instead fans need to take it and rise above her and her views. So while SWMNBN will always be a dark spot, I don’t think that those who love it should let it lose the meaning it had to them.

        Plus, we still revere all sorts of male authors’ work without even discussing how terrible some of them were, and lots of those don’t even have the same sort of cultural impact as HP. At least here there has been a thoughtful discussion and understanding by the fans of how she is terrible but her work is still impactful.

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