Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—NO SPOILERS OR YOU DIE!

[elfshadow]

Thanks, Ellie and Eru. I hope I didn't completely overreact, but it just irritates me that people can't have the decency to keep spoilers to themselves.

At Borders this year they distributed tickets for people with preorders—you had to go to the store to pick the ticket up, but that gives you the order in which you'll get your book. My son picked our ticket up the first morning they had them, so I'm hoping we'll get ours early on.

What?? I preordered my book at Borders and they didn't say a thing about tickets! Maybe my Borders didn't do that. And I preordered over the phone, not in person. I should call and make sure that the order went through.

[Erunáme]

You know, I seem to remember the Barnes and Nobles I reserved my copy of Book 6 with doing something like that. I may get Iavas to call and ask what's up....'cause I don't want to. *hates the phone* I already reserved a copy by phone and that's enough for me.

[elfshadow]

I think I'm paranoid. But I just called to confirm and my pre-order did go through, and my Borders IS handing out tickets but not until Friday morning at 10.


Phew!


Eru, I totally understand about the phone. I really hate calling people. I always have to plan out almost exactly what I'm going to say before I dial, because otherwise I get so nervous!

[Erunáme]

LOL! That is so me!

I have to work Friday so I wouldn't be able to get any tickets until 6:30pm. Boo. Can't even go during my lunch break as the driving time would take more than 1 hour round trip.

[Primula Baggins]

I wonder why our Borders passed them out so long ago? It was at least the week before last.

Oh well, can't complain.

Eru, I bet a lot of people are in your spot. I'm sure you'll still be reasnably far up the line.

Anyway, if they're smart they'll call people up in batches to pick up their books and leave the rest free to wander the store buying other things.

[Primula Baggins]

Nel posted the link to the New York Times review in the no spoilers thread on b77, and I'm reposting it here. (They bought the book in a bookstore—nothing shady about the review, just a bookstore jumping the gun.)

Link

Don't read this if you want to know absolutely nothing going in—but it contains no major spoilers at all, by my standards. (I risked reading it because I didn't believe the NYT would spoil HP7, and I was right.)

And it's highly positive.

[baby tuckoo]

Modest liberal that I am, I feeel not insubstantial guilt that I dont' really know who this elfshadow is, though I admire her persona in this moment's way. I do like her. She posts, damn it, which most of ou don', and most of you post like pantry maids. She doesn't.


We left that time. Come my kitchen maid, you will soon be free.

[Alatar]

Nel posted the link to the New York Times review in the no spoilers thread on b77, and I'm reposting it here. (They bought the book in a bookstore—nothing shady about the review, just a bookstore jumping the gun.)

Link

Don't read this if you want to know absolutely nothing going in—but it contains no major spoilers at all, by my standards. (I risked reading it because I didn't believe the NYT would spoil HP7, and I was right.)

And it's highly positive.

Ok. NOW I'm excited.

[Crucifer]

OMG! That was a fantastic review! I'm so frickin' excited! I will be there at 20.00, so I can start reading at 00.00.

I'm dressing as Percy Weasley. I'll post pictures.

[Alatar]

Having seen your pic on B77, I can definitely see that!

[TheWagner]

As for the no spoilers, a lot of Harry Potter fans seem to disagree majorly. (I have not read it, so I cannot say!) Now, it could be that it says things that should be obvious but that some Harry Potter fans hope will be untrue - e.g., Harry reuniting with Ginny Harry not going back to school, Sirius and Dumbledore not returning from the dead - but regardless, the people at The Leaky Cauldron are organizing petitions of protest!


Now, I am not saying that they are correct and that it really does leak anything that we do not already know: but just in case they are correct, people might want to avoid the link!

[Teremia]

I think the problem is that for really smart and alert people, even the most harmless detail can be a spoiler. She mentions certain things from previous books that turn out to be important in this one -- well, that might look like a silly list, but anyone as thoroughly in tune with HP possibilities as you, TheWagner, would be able to guess what the reappearance of one of those things/characters/objects MIGHT signify!

I remember how irritated I was when some reviewer of "The Sixth Sense" years ago spoiled the film by making an offhand reference to a literary source he obviously assumed his audience wouldn't know very well. Well, three points to him for being Clever, but if you happened to know the text in question, the whole joke of "The Sixth Sense" was revealed.

In other words, someone trying to show off and yet Not Spoil is almost certain to spoil the thing for Some.

Don't read reviews!

[Erunáme]

I'm avoiding the link considering everyone has different standards as to what spoilers are. Personally I don't want to know a single thing about the story.

Glad others are saying it's making them excited. I'll believe you.

[Crucifer]

I only skimmed it really. When I saw the word Hallows I moved on quickly, as I don't want to know what they are for another 28 and a half hours.

Oh yes, and Prim, I changed the thread title again. Thought this one was a bit more... clear, on what we meant by No Spoilers.

[Ellienor]

Well, at this point, trolling the internet reveals that some have posted a summary of the whole book, including all major details. I am somewhat amazed that all this information is available.

I'm impressed with Rowling--there are twists that never occurred to me! She's just so inventive.

Still looking forward to curling up with my own personal, legal copy of the book.

[Primula Baggins]

Well, the Borders tickets thing—my son was off camping and didn't convey before leaving that he'd been mistaken about the tickets for book pickup; they're tomorrow morning here, too. He and his girlfriend plan to be in line at 5 AM; I think they seriously want our copy to be the first.

This evening I've been rounding up costumes for those two and for my daughter. My redhead has pulled together a good Ginny Weasley outfit (1980s sweaters look an awful lot like something Mrs. Weasley would knit, don't they?). I got some shapeless wooly things out of deep storage for my son's girlfriend; they're going as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Yes, this is hype, but it's also genuine cultural phenom, I think. At least, an awful lot of people seem to be having a lot of innocent fun with it (and all free, other than paying for the book).

[Impenitent]

My daughter, a HP nut (she can quote chapter and verse, word for word, all six books, and with a mad glint in her eye, will correct anyone who stumbled on the teeniest fact) looked so shocked at the idea of dressing up I had to leave the room so as not to start giggling. I don't know why some 14 year olds will and other 14 year olds won't. She's an absolute fan-girl, and intends to marry Ron (not Rupert Grint).

Also...I'd read the spoilers that Halplm posted on B77 and I told her that I had done so.

"Does he die? does Harry die? He doesn't die, does he? Tell me he doesn't die!!"

This, from a girl who's been saying for the last three years that Harry must inevitably die in the last book. I think she's been armouring herself for the worst. You know how it is; if you expect the absolute worst, whatever happens has to be better.

I replied I'd be willing to tell her if she's REALLY, REALLY sure she wants to know. Will it change the way you read the book if you know one way or the other? Think now; do you REALLY want to know?

"Aaaaarrrggghhh! Go away! Don't tell me!"



Ah, yes. The torture of the innocent is a mother's last resort.

[Frelga]

Impish, that's so... fourteen year old of her!

[nerdanel]

Well, the Borders tickets thing—my son was off camping and didn't convey before leaving that he'd been mistaken about the tickets for book pickup; they're tomorrow morning here, too. He and his girlfriend plan to be in line at 5 AM; I think they seriously want our copy to be the first.

Random tip? It's a Bad Idea to have a big fight with the friend who is supposed to pick up your Borders tickets (or in our case wristbands), two days before Harry Potter comes out. Especially if she is juvenile enough to tell you to "get your own damn wristband" at the end of the fight.

...so, in essence? I have no reserved copy, because the friend who made the reservation that included my copy decided to screw me. One better - because she fought with me, she decided not to drive up to SF at all (where we were supposed to pick up our copies), thus screwing a mutual friend of ours (who was completely uninvolved in our fight) for whom she'd also reserved a copy as well.

Lesson learned: always, always, always reserve your own copies of stuff. You never know when you'll have a big fight with someone else who might have reserved a copy for you.

Of all the moments I've been glad for the leak, this is the foremost. At least tomorrow's suspense will be confined to whether I will get a copy of the book, rather than what plot twists said book contains. (I prefer to handle only one form of suspense per day. )

[Alatar]

Also...I'd read the spoilers that Halplm posted on B77 and I told her that I had done so.

You think you know a person....