Harry Potter - Labour Day Fun

In January this year, I changed house and I found this snug little studio right by a park. And I don't think I have to tell you what a miracle it is to live in a capitol city and have a view of trees instead of a busy avenue or just lame gray buildings.

I have been wishing to go spend afternoons in the park ever since it started getting warmer, but you know the deal, I usually waste daylight at work.

However, today, just like yesterday, I took advantage of an extended Labour Day weekend, courstesy of our Labour Ministery and my employer. Yesterday, I took my book and headed for a bench in the park. Spent 4 hours there and finished Harry Potter 3 - Prisoner of Azkaban. Today, in about 6 hours, on  a blanket, by the lake, I finished The Goblet of Fire.

In a rather poor Romanian translation, unfortunately... Took me 100 pages to realize that Cercetasii (Literally- boy/girl scouts) was the lame translation for the House of Gryffindor... and that  Ravenclaw had magically transformed to Hawkeye (Ochi de soim).

Having myself spent months of my university translating literarature I find this appaling. In a hurry to release the Romanian translation as soon as possible after the original version, they've made some huge errors, I mean, come on, the text wasn't even proofread properly. The name of Cornelius Fudge appears at least in 5 different versions of CRONELIUS, Cornwlius... and so on... Disappointing translation, but I still prefer the books over the movies, which seem to me to have no plot whatsoever...

Before reading the books, a few years ago, I had a Harry Potter movie marathon, when I saw the first 5 movies of the series in one night. The other 3 hadn't been released yet. OK, special effects, I myself have a weak spot for fantasy and all, but I hated the plot, couldn't make heads or tails of it... Disappointing, rather. But the kids I teach kept bugging me about Harry Potter so I said I would give it one more chance and read the books.

So, after I got my Kindle I started reading...

For whoever needs this, the books of the series are:

1. The Philosopher's Stone - Read in English on my Kindle
2. The Chamber of Secrets - read in English on my Kindle
3. The Prisoner of Azkaban - Romanian paperback
4. The Goblet of Fire - Romanian hardcover
5. Order of the Phoenix - still reading....... Finished on May 4th 2012

6. The Half-Blooded Prince - In progress...  Finished, May 15th
7. Deathly Hollows - in progress...  Finshed !!!

When I finish the series, which I hope will happen in the following week, I'll tell you my conclusions. :)
Tonight, Order of the Phoenix.