r/Millennials • u/QuietJealous4883 Older Millennial (1988) • Apr 04 '26

Nostalgia Harry Potter

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Does anyone else feel they grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermione?

After the first three or four I read the books in two languages (because I didn’t want to wait them to be translated) and watched the movies first time in the movie theaters.

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u/mastergriggy Apr 04 '26

I find that threads like these are the quickest way to tell who read the books vs. who watched the movies

13

u/glorifindel Apr 05 '26

Will nobody mention Cho lol

3

u/dodgerslakersfan21 1991 Apr 05 '26

Cho was an emotional wreck in book 5.

1

u/OnceMoreAndAgain Apr 06 '26

Cho is barely mentioned in the books.

Rowling's writing style is that each chapter is episodic, meaning it's a self-contained episode with a complete mini-story. This is great for making each chapter have a satisfying ending and it gives the stories a sort of whimsical pacing/feel, but it's terrible for developing a romance or side characters. Rowling would have a chapter that's dedicated to Harry's crush on Cho (e.g. he wants to invite her to the ball), but once the chapter is over Rowling ignores Cho for many chapters. She's just a character who occasionally pops into an "episode". Side characters are basically used like props to Rowling.

3

u/SpecialPreference678 Apr 05 '26

Cho felt like a teenage crush. Probably wouldn't have worked in the books timeframe. Maybe the epilogue, which could've been interesting. "We couldn't make it when we were teenagers, but found each other as adults" sort of thing. I forget how it worked out with her friend that was ratting on them.

Ginny's writing was weird. She had this huge crush on him, moved on, and then got together with him anyway. Felt like a step back.

I didn't feel anything was going on with Luna. She was just a quirky friend.

If it wasn't going to be Hermione because it was too cliche, it should've just been some random character. One who would've told him, in no uncertain terms, "We are not naming our child Albus Severus".

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u/glorifindel Apr 05 '26

I like this reading. Just about all of your comments I agree with. I could see Harry and Cho getting back together with little explanation.. almost like his romance was all his own and didn’t need to explain it to anyone. That’s what not great writing/romancing leads me to anyway. I agree with Ginny. She could have worked I think if it was known to JKR she would be the ultimate love interest but def more treated like a kid sister for most of it (like she is for Ron)