The Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Understanding the Meaning, Genius and Popularity of Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter Novels
by John Granger
If you are one of the many adult fans of J.K. Rowling's books I am sure that you would find The Hidden Key to be a fascinating read.
I would also highly recommend this book to you if you have no intention whatever of reading the Harry Potter series but are interesting in understanding what all the fuss is about. It is the best attempt I have seen to account for the unprecedented worldwide phenomenon that the books have become.
Granger takes the Harry Potter books seriously as literature, and the depth of analysis is remarkable. However it is done with such enthusiasm and humour that it is also a very enjoyable read.
I'd always suspected that there was more to these books than met the eye, and Hidden Key puts the complex weave of plot, symbolism and allusion under the microscope to reveal its intricate structure. As well as a detailed analysis of the four books so far published there is also some intriguing speculation about where the next three might go.
It also has an excellent Epilogue on the dangers of Modernist criticism of literature written from a more traditional perspective and Appendix on comparisons with the Inklings literary group.
This book gives us the chance to be informed about and involved in a remarkable literary event as it unfolds. I understand it may soon be out of print and hard to find, so get hold of one while you can!