Mapping the World of the Sorcerer's Apprentice: An Unauthorized Exploration of the Harry Potter Series

Smart Pop

by Mercedes Lackey (editor)

With up-to-date information through book six in the series, this companion volume offers a comprehensive look at the world of Harry Potter through the eyes of leading science fiction and fantasy writers and religion, psychology, and science experts.

Genres: Harry Potter, Nonfiction, Essays, Books About Books, Reference, Anthologies, Magic

195 pages, Paperback

First published December 11, 2005

About the author

Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.

"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.

"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.

"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:

"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."

Also writes as Misty Lackey

Author's website

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i'm such a potter nerd. i think about it too much and too deeply. i'm the person who's annoyed that harry uses 'lumos' at the beginning of the third movie without getting in trouble for doing magic out of school. therefore, it was realy nice to read deep, intelligent analysis of different facets of the stories. it was like talking to a smart friend who's equally obsessed. highlights were the essay about dumbledore and the 'old man's mistake', the essay about religion, wonder, the universal appeal and fundamentalist objection to the books, the investigation of sexism, and the attempt to understand the curious, widespread attraction to professor snape. i enjoyed these the most because they were subjects i had thought a lot about myself (with the exception of snape; i had no idea there was so much erotic fan fiction about him). the only downside was that i couldn't discuss with the authors my many thoughts and opinions, and i'm sure they feel the same way.

[~Geektastic~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mapping the World of Harry Potter is an anthology of essays from fantasy and science fiction authors that explore different facets of the Harry Potter series. They only cover material through Half-Blood Prince, so not only do they examine some crucial elements of the stories, there are some interesting hypotheses on the different ways the series could have ended as well.

I found all of them to be interesting, though in varying degrees. Some cover religion (or really the lack thereof), some look at the Cambellian hero mythos, and others cross into even stranger territory by looking at Harry’s potential PTSD, fascism in the Potter universe, and even a look at fan fiction involving Severus Snape sleeping with his students. While I found something to ponder in nearly all of them, my favorite essays are those centered on Hermione: “Hermione Granger and the Charge of Sexism” by Sarah Zettel, and “Why Killing Harry Potter is the Worst Outcome for Voldemort” by Richard Garfinkle. In the first, Zettel dives into the world of Internet think pieces to debunk accusations that Harry Potter is sexist, using research and context that the article authors didn’t seem to find very necessary when forming their spurious arguments. Garfinkle's essay is a very well-crafted hypothesis of what would happen if Harry failed and Hermione stepped up to defeat Voldemort, which is perhaps too dark and convoluted for the target audience of the Harry Potter books, but is beautiful and terrible to behold.

If there is one essay that proved to be a weak link, it is “The Proper Wizard’s Guide to Good Manners” by Roxanne Longstreet Conrad. In it, Conrad tells a humorous first-person narrative of a Muggle reading a book about the wizarding world’s misguided approach to dealing with Muggles. The set up is cute, and it certainly captures the tone Rowling would have used for such a book, but it feels much more like a short story than an essay and doesn’t quite fit with the rest.

Overall, anyone who loves Harry Potter, and perhaps finds they think "too seriously” about it will enjoy these essays.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of literary essays by authors on different aspects of the Harry Potter world. I found it enlightening and fascinating, and sometimes disturbing as far as Snape's essay. It really made me think of many aspects that previously hadn't occurred to me, and it was fun watching the authors' guesses as to the outcome of the story, since at the time of publishing, the 7th book had not been released. A definite must-read for any Potterhead!

[Leeanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mapping the World of Harry Potter: An Unauthorized Exploration of the Bestselling Fantasy Series of All Time, edited by Mercedes Lackey

Complete through book six, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," this collection of essays takes a look at why and how the Harry Potter series appeals or angers people. There are essays on religion, education, politics, feminism, and more.

"Mapping the World of Harry Potter" mostly added to my enjoyment of J. K. Rowling's series; some of the essays gave me a lot to think about for the next time I reread the series.

Here is a list of the essays:
-Harry Potter and the Young Man's Mistake, by Daniel P. Moloney
-The Dursleys as Social Commentary, by Roberta Gellis
-To Sir, With Love, by Joyce Millman
-Harry Potter and the End of Religion, by Marguerite Krause
-It's All About God, by Elisabeth DeVos
-Hermione Granger and the Charge of Sexism, by Sarah Zettel
-Neville Longbottom: The Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Martha Wells
-Why Dumbledore Had to Die, by Lawrence Watt-Evans
-From Azkaban to Abu Ghraib, by Adam-Troy Castro
-Ich Bin Ein Hufflepuff, by Susan R. Matthews
-Harry Potter as Schooldays Novel, by James Gunn
-Harry Potter and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Counselor, by Mercedes Lackey
-The Proper Wizard's Guide to Good Manners, by Roxanne Longstreet Conrad
-Why Killing Harry Is the Worst Outcome for Voldemort, by Richard Garfinkle

While "Mapping Harry Potter" was written before the publication of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the essays are still worthwhile reading. All are authored by writers of science fiction and fantasy novels, and I plan to check out the work of several of the contributors.

I think my favorite was "To Sir, With Love," an essay on fanfiction and Professor Snape. I appreciated Joyce Millman's wit and humor, and I think I'll look up a few of the stories mentioned. I also enjoyed "Harry Potter as Schooldays Novel," which gave history on the tradition of British schooldays novels. I had heard Harry Potter referred to as that, but had no clue what it meant. Now I do, and it's a subgenre I plan to learn more about. I found "Why Killing Harry is the Worst Outcome for Voldemort" particularly clever, and something only the mind of a science fiction writer could create.

"The Proper Wizard's Guide to Good Manners" was my least favorite; I don't really see it as an essay but more fiction, and was a bit baffled while reading it.

I would recommend this for adult readers looking to expand their knowledge or thoughts on Harry, as some of the subject matter and language levels are above young fans.

4/5.

[Carmen Maloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mapping the World of Harry Potter" is a great addition to any Harry Potter collection. The essays are diverse and hit many subjects, some obvious, like the problems of religion (or lack of) in the series. For instance, "Harry Potter and the End of Religion" targets what the author sees as a complete lack or need for religion in the books, while "It's All About God" defends the religion within, saying that the series is, indeed, spiritual in a natural sense. Another essay, "Hermione Granger and the Charge of Sexism," addresses the charges of sexism that have been leveled at the book and responds with how many of the female characters are actually strong in their own right, not dependent on men to make their decisions or succeed at their goals. In addition, "From Azkaban to Abu Ghraib" looks at the increasing amount of politics in the books, drawing parallels within Hogwarts and the wizarding world to fascism, the Third Reich and other oppressive political movements.

Of course, not all the essays have such serious subject matter. Some of the other essays are more innocent and humorous , including Mercedes Lackey's description of her own "Harry Potter" drinking game and why Harry is going to need some serious therapy if he survives.

There are fourteen essays in all, touching on many characters and aspects of the wizarding world, and an introduction by Mercedes Lackey. There's something for all kinds of Harry Potter fans in this diverse compilation, and it definitely gives you more to think about when re-reading the series. I would however limit my recommendation of this one to adult-only HP fans. Just a suggestion :)

[Pippolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Értekezés a HP könyvekről, kivéve a 7. részt, mert amikor az esszéket írták, az még nem jelent meg. Szóval nyugodtan lehet olvasni a 6. HP könyv után is, de nem ront az értékéből ha néha megmosolyogom, hogy eltalálták (vagy nem) mi lesz a vége.
Minden esszét más ember írta, másfajta stílusban és gondolatmenettel, amit meg kell szokni, de utána már nem probléma.

ÉS A LÉNYEG:
-Ami már az előszóban is feltűnt, hogy istenítik a könyvet, mert számítógépes játékok helyett könyvet olvasnak a gyerekek. Nem olyan rossz, az ha valaki számítógépes játékokon nő fel (sőt olvasni is lehet meg kockulni is pl én).
-A HP szexista hipotézisű esszével nem értettem egyet. Jobb lett volna, ha írója nem akarja ráhúzni a feminista kifejezést. Mert az esszében egy mondatban leírják: A HP nem szexista, mert ugyanúgy járhatnak lányok is Roxfortba, nem kell többet fizetniük az iskoláért, nincsenek megkülönböztetve. Ennyi. A többi meg hasznos/kevésbé hasznos gondolatmenet feminizmus álruhába bújtatva.
-A potter posztraumás stresszbetegsége esszé is olyan nesze semmi volt.
– A Piton fanfictionökről szóló esszé is inkább csak egy indok volt, hogy az esszé írója átrághassa magát a gusztustalanabbnál gusztustalanabb fanfictionökön. Erre az elemzésre minimum egy pszichológus kellett volna. Mert ez elemzés helyett inkább csak gyűjtés lett.
-Az illemtudó varázslók… esszét meg egy oldal után átugortam, mert nem tudtam hova rakni.

-A spiritualitást is párhuzamba vonja a könyvekkel 2 esszé is, amit én túlzásnak tartom.
-Ellenben a fasizmus és Umbridge-ről szólót imádtam. Sikerült megértenem Umridge karakterét (amit eddig csak utáltam, de nem tudtam hova rakni) és új megvilágításba helyezte számomra az ötödik könyvet, ami eddig nem tartozott a kedvenceim közé.
-Illetve már rögtön az első esszé is megfogott, ahol Potter és Dumbledore kapcsolatát elemzi. Átadta Dumbledore szemszögéből is az eseményeket, ami nagyon elgondolkodtatott.
– Amelyikben pedig Harryt a hős tulajdonságaival hozzák párhuzamban nem volt új infó, mert jó régen láttam ugyanezt egy táblázatban összeszedve és Frodóval párhuzamba állítva. Ennek ellenére érdekes volt részletesebben olvasni erről.
– 2 esszében is szóba kerül (az egyik csak arról szól), hogy a HP egy iskolaregény. Ez megint merőben új infó volt nekem és totál passzol a könyvekre. Wow pillanat.
-Neville-ről szóló esszé is meglepően összeszedett volt a fangirlködés mellett.

MINDENT EGYBEVETVE nagyon érdekes gondolatmenetek vannak ebben a könyvben, ami miatt érdemes átrágni az egészet. Sajnos nem adja meg a választ, miért lett ennyire sikeres a sorozat (az első megjelenés szerencsés időzítéséről is olvastam volna egy esszét), de ebből kész érvekkel és példákkal felfegyverezve lehet elküldeni melegebb éghajlatra azt, aki szerint a HP csak egy gyerekmese.

[Bunny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Added to my TBR January 26, 2009

Man.

This book is really really bad.

I mean, really really bad. And I'm almost done with a massive HP re-read, so I'm shoulders-deep in HP love, so everything HP related has been giving me the fuzziest of feelings.

This is so. bad.

You'd think, since there are multiple contributors, this wouldn't be possible. Sure, you may have one or two clunkers, but another author would pick up the slack.

Nope. You've got one, maybe two decents, and the rest are drier than the dustiest tombs in the restricted section.

And don't even get me started with some of the incorrect HP references in here. You want to take me out of a perfectly decent essay on the Dursleys as social commentary? Tell me that if Vernon had acknowledged from the beginning that Harry was a wizard, he would've gotten the order for drills from the opening scene of Chamber of Secrets.

What?

So, if he told the snooty Masons that his nephew was a wizard and flying puddings happened a lot around their home, the Masons would've...what?

Or, how about, in the chapter about Harry having PTSD, where the editor of this entire book makes this statement regarding Sorceror's Stone:

"Having one of your favorite teachers turn out to be a literally two-faced monster, controlled by the teacher that murdered your parents-"

Um. Source? Source for where in any of the HP books, Quirrel is referred to as one of Harry's favorite teachers. You edited this book, and you pulled that one out of which part of your ass, exactly? Because I'm certain there isn't even fanfiction referencing that.

All this being said, the chapter on Neville's abuse at the hands of his family was great. The defense of HP against sexism claims was also excellent. Even the comparison of Fred and George wreaking havoc on Umbridge to the Boston Tea Party is brilliance.

But in the only chapter written from a head canon perspective, we have a reference to a "piercing, ululating shriek, not unlike that of a Dementor."

............

Did you even read the fucking books?

I'm not going to read any books written by any of these people. Except maybe the one about Neville, because they made some excellent points.

What the ever holy.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 3 out of 5]

A generally well-conceived book of essays, though they are hampered by having only been written with the events through Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in mind. (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hadn't been released yet.)

A while ago I read an interview with Ursula K. Le Guin where she remarked rather testily that, hello, Harry Potter is part of a long tradition of British boarding school novels, so what is all the fuss about? (I'll try to find a link if I saved one at the time. I found a not-by-me reference to it, though, so I know I didn't just imagine it.) Anyway, one of the essays is on this topic. It's not a brilliant essay, but I'm glad that someone at least addressed it, because I was curious at the time I saw the quote but came up dry when doing a library catalogue search, and couldn't think of any other examples.

I did think that Sarah Zettel's essay on why the series was not sexist but also not feminist was brilliant.

Dates approximate.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

BenBella Books has a series of anthologies out called "The SmartPop Series." The idea is that they get well-known writers (of science fiction and fantasy mostly, but there are some exceptions) to write essays about a particular pop-culture topic, and place those essays in the hands of a well-known author who acts as editor. I finished reading Mapping The World of Harry Potter last night. Edited by Mercedes Lackey, the essays run the gamut from sociological (Hermione Granger and the Charge of Sexism) to literary analysis (Neville Longbottom: The Hero With A Thousand Faces) to thoughtful ruminations on what might happen in book seven and beyond (Why Killing Harry Potter Is The Worst Outcome for Voldemort). Some fall short of the mark: The Dursleys as Social Commentary runs out of steam half-way through and seems to lose its point; Harry Potter as Schooldays Novel is just too boring and esoteric. Of the intentionally funny pieces, Mercedes Lackey's own contribution is too short by at least half (Harry Potter and the Post Traumatic Stress Counselor) while The Proper Wizard's Guide To Good Manners is dead on funny -- I had to check the byline to make sure it wasn't really written by either Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett, which is a compliment in my book.

I recommend "Mapping" to Harry Potter fans who would enjoy a not-so-seriously-critical analysis of aspects of the Potterverse.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mapping the World of Harry Potter is a collection of essays, serious and funny, about the Harry Potter books, written by a variety of Science Fiction authors. It was published in between the release of the fifth (The Half-Blood Prince) and final book (Deathly Hallows).

The essays are of differing quality and appeal and no doubt will appeal to different people differently. And of course there is the added humour of speculations on how the series will end - some way off base, others uncannily accurate. I particularly liked the Sarah Zettel's 'Hermione Granter and the Charge of Sexism', Roberta Gellis' 'The Durselys as Social Commentary,' Elisabeth DeVos' "It's All About God'and Mercedes Lackey 'Harry Potter and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Counselling.' Most were interesting. Conrad's 'The Proper Wizard's Guide to Good Manners' did bring on some chuckles as did Lackey's Post-Traumatic Stress articl . Other's were - well tedious, repetitive or even a bit weird.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book - even for Zettel's balanced and well argued article alone. Still relevant to read after the Harry Potter finale - but I wouldn't recommend it before finishing The Half-Blood Prince if you are concerned about major spoilers.

[Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed or read:
-- Harry Potter and the young man's mistake / Daniel P. Moloney
-- The Dursleys as social commentary / Roberta Gellis
-- To Sir, with love / Joyce Millman
-- Hermione Granger and the charge of sexism / Sarah Zettel
-- Harry Potter and the post-traumatic stress disorder counselor / Mercedes Lackey
-- Why killing Harry is the worst outcome for Voldemort / Richard Garfinkle

Didn't have time for:
-- Harry Potter and the end of religion / Marguerite Krause
-- It's all about God / Elisabeth DeVos
-- Neville Longbottom : the hero with a thousand faces / Martha Wells
-- Why Dumbledore had to die / Lawrence Watt-Evans
-- From Azkaban to Abu Ghraib / Adam-Troy Castro
-- Ich bin ein Hufflepuff / Susan R. Matthews
-- Harry Potter as schooldays novel / James Gunn
-- The proper wizard's guide to good manners / Roxanne Longstreet Conrad


Garfinkle took it too far, if serious...or was being playful.
Conrad's format seemed silly and perhaps disrespectful.
I did want to read Wells.
Castro seemed to cover the obvious, although I didn't look very closely.
More comments later, I hope.....

[Eliza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as I was expecting. There were a couple memorable chapters, notably the chapter by Mercedes Lackey discussing the Harry Potter drinking game, very hilarious, and the following chapter on the misguided guide of how best to interact with muggles. There also was an interesting chapter responding to accusations that Harry Potter comes from the devil and is evil, and it was insightful to hear the author's well thought-out responses. Oh yes, and the chapter on Snape as a sex symbol was definitely a keeper! Very hilarious, and who knew? Not me.

The other chapters were iffy. Some seemed based on poorly-stated, weak arguments. Others just droned on and were rather boring. So there were some definitely keepers, and some others that I could leave. An interesting read overall.

[Eleni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wide range of themes covered by this anthology printed prior to the publication of the last book of the Potter series, so it obviously cannot take into account events in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. “Harry Potter and the Young Man’s Mistake: The illusion of Innocence and the Temptation of Power” by Daniel P. Moloney does an excellent reading of the lessons Dumbledore imparts to Harry in Book Six. and “To Sir, With Love: How Fan Fiction Transformed Professor snape froma Greasy Git to a Bryronic Hero… Who’s Really Really into S/M” by Joyce Millman was a fun read!

The rest was uneven, except for Gellis on the Dursleys as social commentary, but that's a topic that has been covered since the first book of the series.

[Cat. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long subtitle: Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors Explore the Bestselling Fantasy Series of All Time.

In typical multiple-contributor format, this is a little uneven. However, some of them are good: the one that discusses Hermione and sexism is wonderful, and "The Proper Wizard's Guide to Good Manners" is hysterical.

Worth the time to scan, but only if you've read most of the Harry Potter books. If you haven't read them all, there's a lot here that will either confuse you or spoil the rest of the stories.

[Vicki G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it's b/c I have a limited understanding of critical essays and their purpose, but I thought the authors picked everything apart when it was unnecessary to do so.
Like how upset they were that Harry goes back to live w/ the Dursleys' every year and that Mrs. Weasley is "a typical submissive woman."
Those two things have little to do w/ the plot and some women ARE like that. It's not like she made every female character in the book "submissive" for God's sake.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was written before the seventh book was released so I didn't appreciate how much of it was trying to guess what the finale would be. I enjoyed the articles on sexism and fascism but I ended up skipping at least three of the articles altogether. Not really worth the read.

[Krista · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read a lot of books of essays about Harry Potter. This is not one of the better ones, despite what you might think based upon the editor and authors of the essays. It's not worth your time.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read some of. I skipped around. It wasn't what I was looking for.

[(Abby) Enter the Phantom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an overall interesting collection of essays, running the gamut from in-depth analysis to comedic commentary. It's a little outdated now, having been published before Deathly Hallows, but most of the essays don't suffer from a lack of plot information.
There are a couple of pieces that feel lackluster--"Ich Bin Ein Hufflepuff" by Susan R. Matthews and "Why Dumbledore Had To Die" by Lawrence Watt-Evans are repetitive and weak--but most of the chapters offer an informative look at a different aspect of the Harry Potter series. Joyce Millman's "To Sir, With Love" was especially entertaining as a Snape fan. There are even a few pieces that cross into the realm of fanfiction rather than analytic essay--Richard Garfinkle's "Why Killing Harry is the Worst Outcome for Voldemort" will give writers ideas for years, and Roxanne Longstreet Conrad's "The Wizard's Guide to Good Manners" is fanfiction, full stop. These two chapters close out the book and give it a lighthearted feel that only a bunch of fantasy authors writing about another fantasy author could manage.
A fun read if you're new to Harry Potter analysis, with some fresh takes for folks who have been doing this for years. The lovely cover is a plus!

[Matea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from the library. Cool analysis of the Harry Potter series up to the end of book six. I’d be interested in reading more essays written at the conclusion of the series. Some well known authors give their opinions on the series, others speculate what will happen in book seven. Some essays seem like a superficial analysis, but I don’t have to like every essay to appreciate the compendium. I might consider reading more compilations by this publisher in the future.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a really cool and informative book. There were some essays topics that I didn't really care for but as a Harry Potter fan who likes to deep dive into the series, I enjoyed hearing other people's opinions on certain things. Humorous to say the least.

[Cadome · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series is really interesting.

[Rese Resendiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is really addictive.

[Daniel A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I've read essays in other volumes in BenBella Books' Smart Pop series, primarily because said essays were written by friends of mine or authors I follow on Facebook or such. But Mapping the World of Harry Potter was the first time I've ever set out to read such a collection cover-to-cover, and I'm happy to say that most of the essays in this collection hold up to serious literary scrutiny.

When Mapping the World of Harry Potter came out, J.K. Rowling had only released the first six books; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows wouldn't come out for about another two years. What makes Mapping the World of Harry Potter so remarkable is the precision and accuracy with which so many of the essayists in the collection made their predictions about the last Harry Potter novel. Whether Martha Wells' essay about the culmination of Neville Longbottom's hero's journey, Joyce Millman's about the possibility of Professor Snape's redemption, Lawrence Watt-Evans' about the ramifications of Professor Dumbledore's death, or several others, many speculations were eerily prescient. Even the essays that don't directly make predictions—such as Marguerite Krause's and Elisabeth DeVos' respective essays about religion in the Harry Potter series, Adam-Troy Castro's about fascism and Lord Voldemort, or Sarah Zettel's about the role of women in the books—operate as excellent literary criticism on their own merit. Perhaps the only essay that really doesn't work is Richard Garfinkle's final essay, for reasons really too elaborate to elucidate here, and that speaks well of Mapping the World of Harry Potter as a whole.

In some sense, a book like this defies a proper review—you either agree with the literary criticism, or you don't—but to the extent that I am able to elaborate thereupon, Mapping the World of Harry Potter has to be judged a success. Even as it analyzes and dissects the Harry Potter novels fully, it retains all the magic of the series as well, which is perhaps the greatest success of all.

[Ilaria]

Questa raccolta di saggi, opera di un gruppo di scrittori di fantasy e fantascienza, riunisce tredici diverse prospettive critiche su aspetti particolari dell'"universo Harry Potter". La fortunata serie di romanzi di J.K. Rowling viene inquadrata nell’ambito del genere fantasy, affrontando sia tematiche di ordine generale riguardo la ricezione dell’opera (Harry Potter e la religione – comprese le recenti esternazioni del papa e dei Teocon americani –, Harry Potter e la politica, Harry Potter come romanzo di formazione), sia questioni più specifiche relative a singoli personaggi: Harry e la sindrome post-traumatica da stress, la questione del sessismo nei personaggi femminili, la caratterizzazione psicologica dei comprimari.

Alcuni esempi:

"The Dursleys as Social Commentary": i perfidi zii di Harry sono i personaggi meno realistici e più caricaturali dell’intera saga: eppure, sono usati dall’autrice come fulcro della sua satira contro il pregiudizio e l’intolleranza, che è il tema centrale dei sei romanzi.

"To Sir, With Love": il fenomeno della fan fiction, cioè i racconti originali scritti dai fan, con protagonisti i personaggi della Rowling. Testimonianza di amore per il lavoro di un altro autore, talvolta però la fan fiction stravolge la psicologia dei personaggi. Perché l’odioso professor Snape [Piton] nelle mani dei fan è diventato una specie di sex symbol?

"Why Dumbledore Had to Die": i libri della Rowling devono molto alla tradizione mitologica nordica, la stessa da cui partono i libri di Tolkien. In questo saggio, Harry Potter è messo a confronto con altri miti della modernità, da Superman a Guerre stellari, alla luce delle celebri teorie di Joseph Campbell sulla natura universale del mito.

"From Azkaban to Abu Ghraib": la più famosa prigione magica e il famigerato carcere babbano: Harry Potter è un’amara e sfaccettata parodia che riflette sul mondo reale e sulle grandi questioni del nostro tempo. Terrorismo, corruzione e razzismo sono all’ordine del giorno anche tra i maghi.

Il libro è rivolto a chi ha già letto l’intera saga, ed è prevalentemente orientato a un pubblico di lettori adulti (diciamo dai sedici anni in su). Il livello di approfondimento è tale da qualificare questo libro come una raccolta di saggi di critica letteraria, e non solo una “guida agli incantesimi e ai personaggi”, filone ormai ampiamente sfruttato. I testi qui raccolti, piuttosto, offrono spunti di riflessione non solo ai più sfegatati tra i fan, ma anche al lettore curioso che desidera approfondire alcuni aspetti della saga.

Essendo uscito nel 2005, il libro analizza solo i primi sei romanzi della serie.

[Eric Juneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was written before "Deathly Hallows" came out, so a great deal of the essays deal with now defunct speculation over "what will happen?" Even so, it's still fun to see what people were thinking and how many of their predictions were eerily accurate. For example, one suggests that Harry must fight Voldemort alone, that Harry will not die, that Harry will die, that Neville will take a larger role, that Hermione and Ron will get together, that Snape is not as evil as "Half-Blood Prince" made him out to be.

Besides the predictions, it's also great to read analysis of a literary series to see what was done right and wrong. I learned that the Dursleys have a purpose beyond comic relief, why Snape has so many creepy fan girls, the series's roots in "English boarding school" books, and not only why Dumbledore died, but that he had to die, because he's the mentor on the hero's journey. My favorite is the last essay that details a "what would happen" scenario if Voldemort does win. Basically, Hermione goes medieval. I wouldn't have minded seeing that ending either.

[Muzzlehatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very solid collection of short (and very sweet) essays that cover a fair amount of territory on the first 6 books of JK Rowling's masterpiece. The authors are all in sympathy with the works -- no harsh criticisms here -- and explore a great many of the themes that make the works so special. My favorite pieces are the two somewhat contrasting essays on religion (or lack thereof), and the feminist response to the character of Hermione Granger. Most of this is well-written and thought-provoking, though there are no really grand insights to be gained; this is more fannish appreciation by other writers who appreciate Ms Rowling than anything else -- but I think it's a good place to start for those who, like me, were captivated as much by the depths and backtory of the series as by the action and characters.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think an alternate (and arguably more appropriate) title for this book would be "In Defense of Harry Potter." This has nothing to do with maps, and it is a collection of highly pro-Rowling essays. This book defends the series against claims of paganism and Christianity, sexism and unbelievability. There is a noticeable lack of conflicting views, and it is incredibly one-sided, but that's okay because I wouldn't want to read anything bashing Harry Potter anyway.

This is a highly interesting read for anyone who loved Harry Potter as a child or who might even still love the books now. It throws the series into a new light, will make you think twice before you blindly accept the plot and characters at face value. In short, this will make you think the next time you go back to visit your dear friends at Hogwarts.

[Runa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty decent collection of essays on HP. I really loved Sarah Zettel's essay rebutting claims of sexism in the series, as well as Mercedes Lackey's argument that Harry should clearly be dealing with a case of PTSD throughout all of his adventuring. Richard Garfinkle's concluding essay reads almost like (really good) fanfiction, and I would have LOVED to see an underground network of house elf spies as well as all the other ingenious scheming Hermione gets up to in his essay. But uh. Really. What the heck was the "Proper Wizard's Guide to Good Manners" essay? I...what?? That stuck out like a sore thumb in this book of otherwise thought-provoking essays. I don't have words for how bad that essay was to me, but to each their own, I guess.

[Kenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the absolutely most interesting Harry Potter anthology-ish book I've read in quite some time. The topics are diverse, and aren't just about analyzation of the stories and "Why J.K Rowling chose to do this in her books,". The thought of Snape as a sex symbol? (Oddly) Interesting. The relationship between religion and Harry Potter/magic? VERY interesting. This is something that a Harry Potter fan should own, especially because you can whip it out if you get into an argument with another Harry Potter fan and you need some resource and credible reference to back you up.

Overall, a fantastic view on how different people interpret situations, characters, and beliefs proposed in the Harry Potter series.

A must-own for every HP fan.

Long live Harry!