English bookies have been taking bets on which major character will die in the next Harry Potter book (J.K. Rowling has said that one will). But when Ladbrooke’s noticed an unusual pattern of betting from the town where the book is being printed, they concluded there had been a leak at the plant. Apparently Albus Dumbledore will bite the dust. (Hat tip: Instapundit.)
More interesting is the question, what will become of Rowling’s prose?
I’ve read all the books. Rowling has a powerful imagination, with a real dash of Dickens. Unlike George Lucas, who pushes archetypes around like checkers, she understands the family dynamics that give rise to the archetypes in the first place. Lucas makes movies about father figures. Rowling writes about fathers.
In the last book, however, the prose (formerly serviceable with flashes of wit) showed real unraveling, especially in the dialogue. The problem was Harry’s impending adolescence, and his budding love for the Chinese witch. If Rowling decides to tackle love, that will be a new ballgame, and require higher exertions.
J.R.R. Tolkien. with a better sense perhaps of his limitations, consigned the romantic subplot of LOTR (a very poignant one) to the appendices.
Kathryn, is this too geeky for you, or can we only talk about 80s rock n roll?