Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter

Rating:
Summary: Eye Opening and The Best Present... Ever
Review: Being a fairly new fan to the Harry Potter world, I received this book as Christmas present. I was interested at the idea, but not nearly as interested as I would become once I started reading.

I believe that the reading level is easy enough to understand for 8-12 year olds, but I'm 23 and I had such a great time reading this book. The book molds to its reader as each person gets what he or she would want out of it. I found the mysteries enticing and proceeded to do my own research on backgrounds of names, places, mythological references... just so I could solve more of the puzzles JKR has so coyly laced her books with.

I loved the book so much I bought it for my 13 year old niece and she can't get enough of it, either!

I think some of the people who give the book negative reviews were disappointed in the clues discussed and that analysis of the book because they are so well informed. Sure... if you spend a few hours every day discussing theories on a Harry Potter chat board you're bound to say "well duh... I already knew that". But honestly, for the rest of us who are just discovering the mysteries of Harry Potter, this book is a revelation.

A compliment to the authors: despite any criticism, you did a fantastic job of taking complex theories, ideas, and clues and putting them in one collaborative book for everyone to enjoy.

A note to the bloggers (as I am one myself): come on, you've got to respect that this book was published in January of 2003. Most of the theories or "unoriginal ideas" of The Guide have only been discussed and analyzed within the past year and a half which gives this book a pretty good lead on the market.

I recommend this book because of its remarkable insight, humorous sarcasm, and immeasurable thoroughness.

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Waste of Time Money and Paper
Review: I found this book a complete waste of time, and thoroughly annoying. If you have already read the HP books then you know how each one ends, you don't need Miss Waters to show you the end coming when you've already reached it, if you've missed clues that hint at the outcome of each book, (which all of us have) then take your time to re-read the HP books themselves, and you will not need to waste money buying this thing. Especially as Miss Waters herself has missed some important clues, while simultaneously listing almost every other word in the books as having some significance, which she almost never states what she thinks that might be. Pointing out only those things Miss Waters deems of importance, only to later be proven wrong anyway. Such as her certainty that Snape is a vampire and all these "clues" Miss Waters lists as pointing to that fact which have already been disproved by JKR herself.

This book is also very biased in it's views and takes the liberty of telling the reader what we should think. Rather than just present the clues that are there, Miss Waters insists on constant references of "we think this don't we" and "we don't like that do we" Who is this "we"? And why does Miss Waters believe that "we" all think the same as she does?

There is almost nothing in the HP books that can't be debated or looked at in multiple views, however Miss Waters is under the delusion that her 2 bit opinions (and that is all they are) are the correct ones.
You will also gain no insight into the ultimate mysteries yet to be resolved in the last HP book, as Miss Waters, while hinting that she pretty much knows what's coming and how the story will end, avoids locking herself into any predictions, gee that couldn't be to avoid looking like a total fool when she gets it wrong could it?
Even JKR has stated on her site that some fan run websites offer more insight than several companion volumes that are out there. Now I wonder who's books she is referring to hmmmm....

The fun is in reading the HP books and discussing the HP books, for this you don't need Miss Waters' book.
I have gone over the books many times and am always discovering new things and new ways to view what I already knew. My advice, if you want insight, keep re-reading the books themselves, find a chat group to exchange ideas and theories, and hopefully gain fresh new perspectives, and save your money for a book that's actually worth reading, like The Sorcerer's Companion. Happy Sleuthing!^_^

Rating:
Summary: Really makes you think
Review: I love all the clues that the Harry Potter book hols and this is just the tool you need to help decepher some of them. I helps point out things that most people would miss. It is not as good as the first book written by these authers - but still very good.

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter
Review: Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter
by Galadriel Waters is great unoffical guide to the most famous little wizard in the world. Awesome.

Rating:
Summary: Dry and boring
Review: The only practical use I can find for this is to play Harry Potter trivia with friends. If you're a hardcore fan of the series, you already know all this, and speculation as to what MIGHT happen in the next series is a spoiler for some readers. Read the realies instead.