Thoughts for the Serious Reader of Harry Potter
It’s another week, and another rumour of a Harry Potter reboot! The timing, consistency of reports and clarifications from a trusted source indicate that this time there may be at least some truth to the story.
Find out all the details of the supposed deal after the jump! [Read more…]
The Rowling Library Magazine is out with a new issue and a new look! The cover story celebrates the tenth anniversary of Cuckoo’s Calling‘s publication and the cover itself reveals the TRL partnership with Otter Studio for a reimagination of the Magazine’s appearance. Editor Patricio Tarantino explains:
Our redesign is more than just a cosmetic update. We have reimagined the magazine’s layout, typography, and graphic elements to create a more engaging and immersive reading experience. We’ve worked hard to ensure that every page is visually stunning and easy to read, with crisp typography and eye-catching visuals that draw you in.
You can download the PDF or just read TRL Magazine Issue #76 via this link. In addition to the Cuckoo’s Calling anniversary celebration, you’ll find articles on Half-Blood Prince, the page of notable auctions, a fascinating review of Hogwarts Legacy and its connection with the canonical Saga (Phineas Nigellus Black in all his glory, for one thing), and news about the Tokyo Harry Potter Studio opening. Enjoy!
We learned yesterday that all of the epigraphs in The Running Grave will be from the I Ching: Rowling Reveals Running Grave Epigraphs will All be from the I Ching. This was not a total surprise because of a previous twitter homepage header that featured the hexagrams and the manuscript’s cover page and its I Ching epigraph, but it was a break with the customary link of title author and book epigraphs that we have had in five of the six Strike novels. Chris Calderon responded to my post on this subject with an excellent review of articles written here and at StrikeFans about the relationship of Dylan Thomas with the Galbraithian themes of ‘morality and mortality’ as well as a possible link between the poet and the Book of Changes. I had three thoughts inspired by Mr Calderon’s notes which I share after the jump. See you there! [Read more…]
In a post early this morning, Rowling tweeted out an anniversary message and thank you:
The Cuckoo’s Calling (the first Strike book) was published ten years ago today! Thank you to @LittleBrownUK for taking on the unknown Robert Galbraith and every reader who’s helped make the books bestsellers. The seventh, The Running Grave, will be out later this year!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 4, 2023
In a remarkably chatty and enthusiastic comment thread, Rowling shared this remarkable tidbit about The Running Grave’s epigraph source:
Rowling had hinted at this in her previous twitter header that featured the I Ching and we knew already that the book’s opening epigraph would be from this divinatory classic via the sleuthing of The Rowling Library.
You can read Beatrice Groves’ first thoughts on this subject, ‘The Running Grave: Strike 7, the I Ching and the Yarrow Stalks,’ one she wrote in anticipation of the news announced today. Indeed, we are back to the single source mother-lode of epigraphs, a la Lethal White and Rosmersholm as well as Troubled Blood and The Faerie Queene.
I think this is a first, namely, Rowling revealing her sole source for epigraphs prior to publication. Will you be reading the I Ching and practicing the divinatory and reflective arts with stalks and coins in the run-up to The Running Grave?
It is no secret that I am a bit of a podcast junkie, listening to over fifty different ones regularly, and for me this has largely replaced live radio. The launch of a new podcast centred around one of my passions and led by the insightful Irvin Khaytman was therefore a cause for celebration in the Jeffery household this February. Irvin is the author of Dumbledore: The Life and Lies and has writes under the name “hpboy13” in the Three Broomsticks column covering not just Harry Potter but also Strike, The Christmas Pig and The Ickabog. The Three Broomsticks podcast bills itself as:
A Harry Potter podcast that dives deeply into the seven books and the wider Wizarding World to find new insight and discuss the tiniest of details.
Irvin was a host of the Alohomora! podcast from 2019 to 2022, a fun and slightly anarchic look at the Harry Potter books. Generally one chapter at a time, and featuring many Mugglenet contributors. I had hoped that The Three Broomsticks would follow Irvin’s interest in the post Potter, and so I was delighted when along with Dr Beatrice Groves and Mugglenet contributions editor Sophia Jenkins, I was asked to participate in episode five, looking at the parallels between the villains in Half Blood Prince and The Ink Black Heart. Irvin had previously written on this very subject and more generally and of course Beatrice has also published The Ink Black Prince in The Rowling Library magazine and Ink Black Vampires in Bathilda’s Notebook. These formed the basis of what was a very fun discussion, which at over two hours form, with Alohomora, the longest podcasts that I subscribe to. Talking with Irvin, Sophia and Beatrice was such a pleasure it certainly didn’t seem that long when we were recording.
In this episode:
- Draco parallels ALL the characters!
- Why Death Eaters never wear t-shirts
- Peaches are dumb. So, so dumb.
- Will Charlotte be redeemed? You heard it here first!
- Do we like Madeline or no?
- Is Harry actually a villain?
- RIP the Farting Sofa
You can listen to the episode here, or subscribe on Apple, Google or Spotify. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
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