I don't even know if it was a sophomore slump so much as an illustration of the difference a good editor makes. By her own admission, GoF and especially OotP were barely edited, whereas the editors were able to take a stronger hand in HBP and DH, which are by and large stronger books.

Part of the weakness of CoS is that there's a lot of exposition and recapping of what went on in PS, and it get really irritating. Philosopher's Stone gets a bye because all its exposition was world building. I really like how the later books pretty much assume the reader has been along for the ride and jump into the action.

Also, I found that Rowling seemed to be writing for an audience that was growing up. The first two books really feel like kiddie lit. I'm going to start Azkaban tonight, and I wonder what it will read like. I remember not liking it much when I read it, but we'll see how it goes in retrospect.

Part of the weakness of CoS is that there's a lot of exposition and recapping of what went on in PS, and it get really irritating.

There was a bit of that in PoA too, but the story itself was so much richer that it didn't ping me the way it did in CoS. I think GoF was when she finally let the recapping go.

I think she'd have been better served by having a preface with "our story up to now".

I remember how thoroughly impressed I was with the (IIRC) second chapter of "Half Blood Prince", with how much she did with it, in just the one chapter. The first one was with the prime-minister, right? And the second was the one in which Narcissa begs Snape for help.

In that one chapter, she had a great "this is where we're standing" re-cap of the situation at the end of the former book, broke my sappy little heart with the motherly love of a so-far bad-guy (well, girl) to her child (and all the lovely comparisons to Harry's own mother), raised all the burning questions about Snape's alliance (practically everything he said could be interpreted both ways), started what ended up being one of the major plot-points for the whole book, and did it so quickly, the chapter was over and done with and we went over to Harry, before I could grasp even a fraction of all that.

I didn't re-read any of the HPs before "Deathly Hallows" (all my copies were at my sister's, because she wanted a thorough re-read beforehand), so "Half Blood Prince" is the only one I remember now. It's been quite a long time since I read any of the others. So, well, I guess it means I'm only using too many words to say that I don't really have anything to say.

So far I've got the Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets done. Chamber of Secrets is a lot weaker than I remember.

See, I initially read the first three when PoA came out and I remembered CoS as being much weaker than the other two. Re-reading (the first 3 1/2, then DH, and I'm now well into OotP), CoS didn't seem nearly as bad. I got really bogged down in GoF (which I liked originally) and am now enjoying OotP (which I hated initially).

I just have to say, the very last sentence of HP&DH just broke my heart in the best of ways. I wanted to run caroling through the streets, singing that all was well in the Potterverse.

Also I adored getting to read Nilly's review. Thank you for your lovely way with words, you always touch my heart.

I especially liked that although the Malfoys were still bad, they cared more about their son than anything else in the world. Which made them kinda good, at least as parents.

The only thing plot point in which I was disappointed was that I thought that I'd get to see Harry forced to work with Draco Malfoy in a daring escape. If they'd had to say, well, we do hate each other and we can get back to that if we live through this... but what JKR actually said was only an eentsy bit less satisfying for me.

I started back at the beginning and re-read everything. Fred Weasley got most of the good lines allotted to the twins, so I reckon The Author never intended him to survive, alas.

See, I initially read the first three when PoA...

Every time I see "PoA" I think "Power of Attorney"

And then I start wondering what "Harry Potter and the Power of Attorney" would be like. Would someone be acting on his behalf? Or would he be acting on someone elses?

I especially liked that although the Malfoys were still bad, they cared more about their son than anything else in the world. Which made them kinda good, at least as parents.

I always thought this about the Dursley's together. However wrong-headed they were and how horrible they were to Harry, they were dedicated to their Dudders.

I'm working my way through HBP again too. I so dearly loved, near the beginning, seeing Dumbledore and the Dursleys together -- that moment when Dumbledore bows to Aunt Petunia, introduces himself, and adds kindly, "We have corresponded, of course." Which Harry immediately takes to be a reference to the Howler a couple of books back, but everyone who's gotten to the very end and back again knows different. That one wee moment made me fall in love and awe all over again.

And then I start wondering what "Harry Potter and the Power of Attorney" would be like. Would someone be acting on his behalf? Or would he be acting on someone elses?

Someday, as with all the great fictional worlds, there will be an anthology of stories set in the Potterverse by other authors.

This will be John Grisham's contribution ...