wjbc t1_ix3iegk wrote
The Harry Potter series starts out as children’s books, then transition into books for teens. They grow increasingly dark.
When originally published this worked for their fans, who grew along with the books. But now young children binge reading the series often get stuck after book 4. My daughter managed to finish reading the series, but many of her classmates did not.
farseer4 t1_ix3qpkl wrote
That's a good point. The first books are children books, but the series gradually becomes YA. I'd say that by book 5 it's YA already. The end of book 4 could also be upsetting for little children.
That discrepancy in tone causes some problems, like for example Hagrid giving Dudley a pig tail. That worked great with the dark but whimsical style of book 1, a style which reminds me of Roald Dahl's children stories. However, when you look back at that action from a grittier, more realistic point of view like the one the latter books have, it seems abusive of Hagrid to do that.
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