Emerson Spartz

This book is pretty much brilliant. Ben and Emerson weren't lying when they said that MuggleNet is famous for being opinionated. Being the Harry Potter nerd that I am, I rarely get to hash out Harry Potter topics anymore, but this book was both informative and controversial. I found myself nodding my head in agreement at times, and then shaking my head in frustration at others. I strongly disagreed with a lot of the verdicts, but that almost made reading the book more fun.

The book isn't show more perfect, however. The writing isn't stellar (nor is the editing), some of the opposing arguments were still very one-sided, and some of the arguments were just plain irrelevant. And, some of the topics they argue—such as the Harry/Ron/Hermione love interests and whether the Trio was responsible for Snape's death—seem to have been brought up simply for the sake of arguing and taking up more space. It would surprise me if either of those issues were actually debated among fans. And it also bugs me that Ben and Emerson are so against traditional values such as marriage and family. It is not stereotypical for a woman to get married and have children—it is normal. Tonks and Ginny didn't throw their lives away, and Mrs. Weasley certainly had a life outside the Burrow.

But all in all, I think Ben and Emerson accomplished their goal: I wholeheartedly agreed with some of their arguments, and I was disgusted with many of them. Some of their arguments were so well argued that I had almost changed my mind by the time I got to the verdict. This book was intellectually stimulating and quite entertaining. It is going in my Harry Potter trunk with my precious Harry Potter books. show less

If you're a fan of Harry Potter and Mugglenet content, then this book is for you. It's filled with interesting debates and quirky questions about the Harry Potter books and movies. While it's fun to read the opinions in the book, it's also interesting to see how the authors' opinions differ from your own.

Knowing Mugglenet, I knew not to be disappointed in the types of questions discussed. I wasn't expecting any dissertation on theological whatsits and historical whosits. I am, however, show more disappointed in the soundness of the arguments. While mostly convincing, many of the arguments lacked logical reasoning. I think this was especially disappointing because it didn't really seem like the content of the book was all that different from the content of the blog. I was expecting something more polished and thought out, and it really wasn't.

Still, I pretty much devoured this book because I love all things Harry Potter. And, even if the arguments weren't sound, it was still an interesting read that sparked discussion amongst my friends and I. show less

In their return book, Ben Schoen and Emerson Spartz decide to go for an interesting Q&A debate format. As they mention in the opening (which, by the way, incorrectly names the podcast 'MuggleSpace', which gets on my nerves), many of their views will get on your nerves, and I may be paraphrasing on that one. I found myself continually asking "Did they really have to go there?" and raging at the book. I almost felt like some of the debates, if not all, would have been better off if they'd been show more argued by fans, leaving the end result ambiguous and up to the reader to decide, as opposed to giving definite answers. The arguments are quick, concise, and compelling, sure to keep your attention in their fun, conversational tones. It really made me wonder what JK Rowling herself would think of some of these arguments, and I almost feel like there'd be some she'd certainly disagree with, although I won't pretend to know how she thinks. I think the one argument that bothered me most of all (and there were many) was the titular one, Should Harry Potter Have Died? I don't know, I kind of feel like if you're going to name your book Harry Potter Should Have Died, that should also be the conclusion you should reach in your debate, as opposed to "Harry should have lived." Maybe that's just me.

Rating: 4/5 show less

The Mugglenet crew takes on almost every unanswered question in the Harry Potter series in this preview of what *might* happen in Book 7. You may not agree with all their conclusions but, with quotes from the books and from interviews with the author, they always make a compelling case. This book also serves as a nice overview of the previous 6 books and brings together in one place the clues and themes that JK Rowling carries from one book to another.

HP fans love to speculate and will find show more much to agree with and argue about in this book!

Surprisingly well written, by the way. show less