It's funny -- when the tone shifts to the adolescent soap-opera angst, I keep wishing we'd get back to the big overarcing storyline; when we get tons of exposition in one large brick, I keep wondering when we'll find out a bit more about who snogged whom and where. I guess that means it's decent enough if I want to keep reading further, but mostly I'm doing a full-on press through the text just so I get the OMG SPOILER STUFF out of the way. Of course, this is being done in the vain hopes that if I know What Really Happened, I won't have to identify with and endure the whining of everybody else who hasn't gotten to it yet. I don't think these hopes are greatly founded, however.
I should count my blessings, at least: For one, Harry's not hollering IN ALL CAPS CAUSE HE'S ANGRY AND ANGSTY AND STUFF!! every few paragraphs. I do hope some nice editor told Ms. Rowling to keep that kinda shit way down for the sixth book. It's almost enough to make me forget that horrid cutting subplot in the last one. Christ, lady, that was the stuff of piss-poor fanfic and you know it.
But I think once this is over I'm going to have to go back and at least read the first book and marvel at just what it was that captured our imaginations in the first place. However, there was one brief passage that was just very nicely done, that struck me right then and there, and once this whole collective brou-ha-ha dies down I may just share it with you.
Anyway. Pass the seltzer please, I've got several chapters to go.