I was a huge Potterhead back in the day (well…I still am, just not as obsessed). I know the books are great and all, I know how addictive her writing style is, that she can create such vivid and engaging characters and places, and the stories keep you hungry for more…but IMO that still does not completely explain the insane hype that generated. I don’t think there has ever been this level of mania and craze for a book – a children’s/YA book for that matter. So I am wondering, what are some of the factor that led to the hype? I’ve heard things like the rise in Internet (and internet fandom), JKR’s rags-to-riches story, etc all contributed. So for those who have been there, what was the mania like at that point, and what factors (aside from the quality of the books themselves) that lead to it?
It happened to be the right place, at the right time. It was a fine book that happened to be at a time when the internet where it could speak like wildfire but before any real literary critique. Then it got a lot of media attention.
Honestly, it just happened to be Johnny on the spot. Because if you critique the books, they’re just a standard Children’s to Young Adults Fantasy Series, they’re probably a little poorly written compared to a lot of others in that space. But they just gained so much momentum.