• Countdown to Mockingjay Part 1

    ByElizabeth
    2 Comments

    On Friday, I will be taking a group of students and colleagues on our now-annual excursion to a local theater to see the newest film adaptation from The Hunger Games Trilogy. Though we have already speculated here a good deal on what is promised by the trailers and ads, and I will have up a complete review after the showing, I thought I would share my “top 9” list (everything in this trilogy is in threes, so we’ll do nine, not ten) of moments, themes, images, symbols, and other elements that I will be watching for as I and a healthy group of college students, high schoolers, and our colleagues and friends gather to see how the movie gamemakers have envisioned the transformation of this remarkable story from page to screen. I hope you’ll share your thoughts, too, especially if you plan to see the film! Read More “Countdown to Mockingjay Part 1”

  • Halloween Howler to JKR

    ByLouise Freeman
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    As a special Halloween treat, J.K. Rowling provided us with a biography of everyone’s least favorite Hogwarts professor. No, not John Granger (Trick, Headmaster, trick!). Dolores Umbridge.

    On the one hand, I am, pun intended, tickled pink.  Recently I presented a paper at the Chestnut Hill conference on Harry Potter and Nature Deficit Disorder, arguing that the most oppressive characters and settings in Harry Potter are also the most removed from nature,  (See the Mugglenet academia podcast for a summary… my section begins about 1:13). While I didn’t address Umbridge in the talk, I added a section on her last night when writing up the paper for hopeful publication–before reading this latest edition, thankyouverymuch–describing the artifically frilly decor of Umbridge’s offices and the disconnect with the natural world (the flowers, foul porcelain kitten plates), and what that tells us about her (hint: it isn’t good).  I even remarked about that fact the she and McGonagall share the same cat patronus, but whereas Minerva embraces the actual animal to the extent of turning herself into one, we never even see Umbridge approach a real cat,  only her artificial ones.  JKR confirmed that she doesn’t like them. Read More “Halloween Howler to JKR”

  • The Living sequel to be released in May

    ByLouise Freeman
    1 Comment

    From the Facebook of Matt de la Pena:

    Yesterday I finished the final revision of THE HUNTED (sequel to THE LIVING). This story takes some crazy turns. And Shy’s story ends in an unexpected place. I’m so excited to get THE HUNTED into the hands of readers! MAY 12. Mark your calendars!

    Well, if the sequel takes any more crazy turns than the original, it will be a pretty wild ride.  Now that I’m kinda sorta maybe getting back to keyboarding again, I hope to get my long-delayed The Living posts up (and LeakyCon, too, John!)