PoA 2 :: Plugs 'n' recs
Apr. 28th, 2004 12:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pauraque_bkPoA 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake
Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continuously. (18)
Others have remarked on the grotesque Roald-Dahl qualities of the Dursleys, certainly evident in this chapter. Interesting that it's Muggle "reality" that's portrayed as exaggerated fantasy, while the descriptions of things that go on in the magical world tend to be more restrained. The WW is more "normal" to Harry.
'No need to tell us he's no good,' snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. 'Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!' (18)
I cracked up here. Also, clever allusion to Harry's judgmental attitude towards Snape's appearance. One of a number of parallels in the descriptions of Sirius and Snape, which we'll see later on.
'Exactly,' said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. 'It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?' (21)
Ah, Harry's a manipulative little thing. I wonder if he seriously thinks Vernon would have signed his permission form? I guess he does, but it doesn't seem likely to me.
'You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon [...] You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup--' (24)
Whoa! This is right up there with OotP's "enough effing owls" for shock value. I doubt they'll be able to get it into the movie, which is unfortunate, since it's Marge's best/worst line.
The main thing that strikes me about this chapter is how *awful* Aunt Marge really is. When JKR tries to get me to hate a character, it frequently doesn't work (Snape, Peter, Bellatrix... Voldemort, I guess), but occasionally she gets it really right, as with Umbridge, and as with Aunt Marge. Her obnoxiousness is consistent and excellently done, and definitely makes Harry's outburst understandable.
JKR is pretty good at doing all types of obnoxious-yet-prosaic behavior, actually, even when we end up sympathizing with the character. Draco's snottiness, Snape's relentless grudge-holding, Lupin's passive aggression... All ring very true to me. She has a good ear for it.
*
Plugs:
-![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
genfic_hogwarts is going along swimmingly so far, which makes me happy. This might be of particular interest, by the way, to those friends of mine who may enjoy the occasional fic, but aren't really in fandom and don't have fandomish tastes.
-![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
idlerat is attempting to organize a fandom fundraiser for MoveOn.org. This is interesting, as I've never seen an overtly political fundraiser in a fandom before. Fundraisers for disease research and charity, yes. For an election? This could be a first.
*
Recs:
You know when you read a fic with a premise you've read a hundred times before, and you suddenly realize that *this* is it, *this* is the definitive take on Krycek-in-the-silo, or Dark Lord Harry, or whatever it is?
"Blank" (PG-13) by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
switchknife is just such a fic. Has Sirius-in-Azkaban ever been done with such raw lyrical grace?
...he turns his head to see dark hair, whipped and tangled, a flash of teeth, joy-feral, eyes bright and hazel behind the glint of glass...
Also, the astoundingnicolthewhore has written me a slick, nasty, visceral Peter ficlet called "Chilling" (NC-17, disturbing). I asked for Peter/any Marauder, and I certainly got that... and oh so much more. To say anything else would spoil it.
A dry rustling, like cloth dragging across the floor, and Peter sits up, wide-eyed, straining to hear which direction the noise came from. Something cold slithers across his shoulder, trails down his back, flits across his thigh. Peter jerks from the sudden touch, whips his head back.
"W-who..."
Why are you still here? Go read!
Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continuously. (18)
Others have remarked on the grotesque Roald-Dahl qualities of the Dursleys, certainly evident in this chapter. Interesting that it's Muggle "reality" that's portrayed as exaggerated fantasy, while the descriptions of things that go on in the magical world tend to be more restrained. The WW is more "normal" to Harry.
'No need to tell us he's no good,' snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. 'Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!' (18)
I cracked up here. Also, clever allusion to Harry's judgmental attitude towards Snape's appearance. One of a number of parallels in the descriptions of Sirius and Snape, which we'll see later on.
'Exactly,' said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. 'It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?' (21)
Ah, Harry's a manipulative little thing. I wonder if he seriously thinks Vernon would have signed his permission form? I guess he does, but it doesn't seem likely to me.
'You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon [...] You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup--' (24)
Whoa! This is right up there with OotP's "enough effing owls" for shock value. I doubt they'll be able to get it into the movie, which is unfortunate, since it's Marge's best/worst line.
The main thing that strikes me about this chapter is how *awful* Aunt Marge really is. When JKR tries to get me to hate a character, it frequently doesn't work (Snape, Peter, Bellatrix... Voldemort, I guess), but occasionally she gets it really right, as with Umbridge, and as with Aunt Marge. Her obnoxiousness is consistent and excellently done, and definitely makes Harry's outburst understandable.
JKR is pretty good at doing all types of obnoxious-yet-prosaic behavior, actually, even when we end up sympathizing with the character. Draco's snottiness, Snape's relentless grudge-holding, Lupin's passive aggression... All ring very true to me. She has a good ear for it.
*
Plugs:
-
genfic_hogwarts is going along swimmingly so far, which makes me happy. This might be of particular interest, by the way, to those friends of mine who may enjoy the occasional fic, but aren't really in fandom and don't have fandomish tastes.-
idlerat is attempting to organize a fandom fundraiser for MoveOn.org. This is interesting, as I've never seen an overtly political fundraiser in a fandom before. Fundraisers for disease research and charity, yes. For an election? This could be a first.*
Recs:
You know when you read a fic with a premise you've read a hundred times before, and you suddenly realize that *this* is it, *this* is the definitive take on Krycek-in-the-silo, or Dark Lord Harry, or whatever it is?
"Blank" (PG-13) by
switchknife is just such a fic. Has Sirius-in-Azkaban ever been done with such raw lyrical grace?...he turns his head to see dark hair, whipped and tangled, a flash of teeth, joy-feral, eyes bright and hazel behind the glint of glass...
Also, the astounding
nicolthewhore has written me a slick, nasty, visceral Peter ficlet called "Chilling" (NC-17, disturbing). I asked for Peter/any Marauder, and I certainly got that... and oh so much more. To say anything else would spoil it.A dry rustling, like cloth dragging across the floor, and Peter sits up, wide-eyed, straining to hear which direction the noise came from. Something cold slithers across his shoulder, trails down his back, flits across his thigh. Peter jerks from the sudden touch, whips his head back.
"W-who..."
Why are you still here? Go read!
