Harry Potter has been popular for many years.
And with the Fantastic Beasts movies…
Even the younger crowd’s discovering the wizarding world.
But was the story ever perfect?
Well, it’s time we learn why Harry Potter’s a lot more overrated than you remember.
Continue reading to discover:
- Why the wizarding world remained so popular.
- How some of the characters could’ve gotten a better ending.
- 5 shocking reasons why some people think that Harry Potter is just overrated.
- What parts of the Harry Potter series fall short versus other popular fiction books.
- And so much more…
5 reasons why people think that Harry Potter is overrated
#1: A toxic fanbase
It might seem unfair to judge a series by its fans.
And that’s why we’re starting with Harry Potter’s least guilty factor.
But is it a reason we can overlook? Sadly, we can’t.
Unlike the book’s humble beginnings.
Anybody who tries to read the story today will run into its fanbase sooner or later.
And when you meet the diehard bunch who live and breathe Hogwarts content every second…
There will be times when forming a healthy discussion is just out of the question.
For example, if you try to bring up stuff you didn’t like much at all with the story.
You’ll find a clear split in the replies.
On the one hand, you’ll have responses that can see reason.
And on the other, you’ll discover people who curse your name.
In fact, they’ll hate you for saying as little as 1 negative aspect about the series.
They might even call you just as evil as Voldemort…
Or brand you as the worst of the worst Slytherins.
Of course, it could just be the internet’s infamous way of showing the worst parts of any community.
But that still doesn’t excuse the toxicity in the Harry Potter fanbase.
And that’s why many people are starting to think it’s overrated.
Plus, let’s not forget that the first few books in the series were meant for kids.
So if a young mind can be exposed to that type of behavior…
It could eventually cause other negative effects.
#2: Limited world-building
I love the Harry Potter series.
And I can bet there’s a bunch of us out there who thought we were headed for Hogwarts too.
The idea of studying magic instead of math was exciting for kids.
Plus, seeing Harry Potter escape in a flying car felt like a dream as a child:
But if we took a step back to look at the entire thing…
There isn’t much world-building in the story.
In fact, most of the books unfolded within the 4 corners of Hogwarts.
Sure, you could argue that Harry’s still busy studying.
So it’s only natural to spend most time inside the school, right?
On top of that, the series fell under the low fantasy genre.
As a result, the rest of the world was pretty much still the same.
And the only difference was a secret magical community.
However, many other novels followed this exact formula.
They just didn’t get the same spot in the limelight.
So as beautiful as Harry Potter’s magical community sounds…
It’s not peak fiction.
In contrast, we have the world of Middle-earth from The Lord of the Rings.
An entirely different continent with different people and of rich history.
Not to mention, they also had their own languages like Quenya.
The language spoken by Elves that would later be more commonly known as Elvish.
So if you compare Harry Potter to other popular fiction…
The world-building will feel shallow in comparison.
#3: The plot falls by the wayside
Although the Harry Potter series wrapped up beautifully for most fans.
If you comb through all of the books and movies…
Then you’ll notice a lot of the plot fell off.
You see, an engaging story has events leading to one another.
And decisions should carry consequences.
So with every little detail you pick up…
It all serves a purpose for 1 grand conclusion.
However, most of Harry Potter’s plot doesn’t work that way.
It didn’t have any real reason behind a lot of events.
For example, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione read a message on the wall that said:
“The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir… beware.”
But they do exactly nothing with the information.
In fact, they continue as if nothing happened.
Sure, there was gossip about Harry Potter.
But that’s all that changed.
And the plot didn’t move forward until learning about Tom Riddle’s Diary.
A magical artifact that once belonged to Voldemort that Harry conveniently received.
Plus, don’t get me started with the Time Turner.
A time travel device that popped up in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Why don’t we ever see it used again to save more important characters in the series?
It’s just tossed out and forgotten.
And when it’s finally brought back in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Most fans don’t even like to recognize the story as canon.
Because it felt more like fanfiction than a proper sequel to the Harry Potter series.
#4: Characters feel shallow
I’m not saying these characters taught us nothing.
Dobby was an inspirational house elf.
And he taught us why it’s important to be kind.
Plus, Sirius Black wasn’t a slouch either.
He revealed to us you could find the love of family even in friends.
However, there’s not much depth to Harry Potter’s characters.
In fact, the main trio remained pretty much the same by the end of the story.
For instance, we can look at the protagonist.
All of Harry Potter’s challenges were served to him on a silver platter.
And he overcame them by being brave and through the power of love.
But did he go through conflict that challenged his ideals? He didn’t.
So when he finally defeated the Dark Lord.
He beat Voldemort by being brave and through the power of love… again.
Of course, Ron and Hermione’s romance was a beautiful detail.
And it added so much more to their stories.
But other than that, they remained pretty much the same.
So besides getting married by the end of the series.
Ron and Hermione were still sidekicks that conveniently helped Harry at every step.
In contrast, we can look at Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
He started out as a young kid and was oblivious to his responsibilities.
But by the end of the series, he became the wise man many fans know today.
As a result, it’s not a surprise why some fans consider Harry Potter to be overrated.
You don’t see much depth or development in its characters.
#5: The villain wasn’t compelling
Voldemort had done unspeakable things in the wizarding world.
We’re talking about the guy who started the 1st and 2nd wizarding wars.
And he killed so many people just to gain power.
In fact, research shows this level of traumatic stress doesn’t simply go away.
And it continues to haunt its victims with flashbacks.
But when you dive deep into Harry Potter’s evil antagonist.
There isn’t much of a villain to be had.
On one end, the build-up was masterful.
And the fact that nobody dared to say his name added to the suspense.
Plus, a lot of fans loved Voldemort’s backstory.
It made him look cunning, and his intelligence even matched Dumbledore’s.
However, he failed to be as scary or meaningful in his return.
You expect me to be afraid of a guy who kept messing up against a bunch of students?
On top of that, Voldemort was prone to emotional outbursts. And it caused many of his plans to feel impulsive.
You see, Voldemort’s supposed to be smart.
So why doesn’t he find out Harry’s a Horcrux?
Not once did he think that Harry Potter could be 1 of the magical artifacts that kept him alive.
It would’ve made for a great point of conflict.
But the Dark Lord never made the connection.
Also, Voldemort’s reasons were shallow.
In contrast, Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War feels more compelling.
At least he justified his evil.
He wanted to remove half of the world’s population so the universe could recover.
But Voldemort? He just fell flat.
Even his tragic backstory isn’t enough to save his character.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth reading
Sure, some people might say the story’s overrated.
But should that stop you from reading the story? No, of course not.
It’s still 1 of the most accessible books of our time.
You see, the narrative’s easy to read.
So you can just pick it up anytime.
And you’ll fall in love with the idea of magic quickly.
Plus, you’ll also adore the friendships between characters.
In fact, a study shows connections are a lot more important than you think…
Because they can impact your mental and emotional well-being too.
So even if Harry Potter might not stand with the very best novels on a technical level.
That doesn’t take away from its impact and beautiful narrative.