Would you read spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

Question

If you came across them on the internet, would you read spoilers for book 7 before the book became available? I don't think I would, as I wouldn't want the story to be ruined. What would you do?

Answer 1

I would be soooo tempted, but honestly, I've waited 10 years for this one book. Why would I want to end it sooner than it has to end? Besides, Jo Rowling has brought me so many years of joy, I owe it to her to read her words in the manner (and at the time) that she anticipates and requests.

Happy reading!

Answer 2

This is simply a silly response that I would like to share because I am bored. Also, I had been conversing earlier with a family member about the idea of reading the ending "spoiler" to Harry Potter, and the question grabbed my attention. I mean no disrespect for the many fans of Mr. Potter, I am only interested in saying that, I haven't read any of the books and have only seen three of the movies (in a rather strange order). Because of these reasons, I wouldn't mind reading said "spoiler." I haven't become too terribly attached to the story line, let alone the beloved main character, whose life, as I have heard rumored, might be cut short by the end of the series. As a matter of fact, there are other characters at the school of witchcraft and wizardry (in the movies) that find more interesting than Potter. I wouldn't mind, (just for the fun of it) if given the chance, to skip to the last few chapters, and discover whether or not Mr. Potter indeed dies. However, I too understand what it is to not want a story to be ruined as I was once reading The Lord of the Rings. It would definately irritate me if someone were to spoil the ending, although, it would not ruin my day. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was not so bad a movie and I can understand why, like The Lord of the Rings, people can become such fans. I hope nobody's ending is crushed, and that the fans are able to discover what awaits them at the end in the manner that best suits them. Until next time, "I think I'm going to go have some pudding."

Answer 3

I saw a question on Yahoo! Answers titled 'For all Harry Potter Fans' or something like that. Stupidly i clicked on it and there in front of me was a list of page references as to who dies when, etc. and i will not repeat what it said because now that i have the book and have found several parts in the book so far that match up to the spoiler, i know the ending and other parts of the plot. It hasn't completely ruined my reading experience but has still taken away a large amount of the surprise contained in the book.

It's a difficult situation once you see a some of a spoiler on the internet because your eyes just seem to absprb all the information even if you are frantically attempting to quit the page.

You have an amazing read ahead of you, those who do not already know what happens. But that's all i'm going to tell you because unlike many people, i don't want to spoil a brilliant story for many people.

I mean, sorry to blab on but couldn't the person who 'asked' that question on here, give the 'question' a more obvious title like WARNING BELOW IS A SPOILER!

Answer 4

I would be very tempted to, considering we have all been on the very edge of anticipation for such a long while, nearly driven mad with curiosity. But in the end, I don't think I would be able to do it. J. K. Rowling's books are a masterpiece, and it just wouldn't be the same if you already knew. When you think about it, this is the very last book. It is precious! Shouldn't we milk it for all that it's worth? There will be no more Potter after this one, so we might as well savor every taste that we can--of the real thing, that is. Also, there is the possibility that many of the spoilers are fakes. Not only would you have the book ruined for you, then, but it would be ruined with the wrong information as well! It is perfectly understandable to those that do consider it, but I think that to actually follow through, reading the spoilers before the book comes out, would be an insult to J. K. Rowling herself. After all, if you're that much of a Potter fan, shouldn't you respect the author by abiding her wishes the the actual BOOKS be read, and only when they are actually RELEASED? I hope so.

Answer 5

I absolutely will not read any spoilers concerning the upcoming Harry Potter book Deathly Hallows. I think the only person more disappointed and upset than me about all the recent leeks is author JK Rowling herself.
We have all waited so long for the final book to arrive, biting our nails, sitting on the edge of our seats, anxiously crossing off the days on the calendar to the day when we could all open that final book and eagerly begin reading to find out, ON OUR OWN, the fate of our beloved friend Harry.
I am at the point now that I am afraid when the book is officially released that I will have to keep the TV shut off full time, go online only to check email, and drive my car with the radio off until I have finished reading the book, because I do not want to know any of the secrets before I read them. And I mean any, not just the fate of Harry but also the fates of the other characters, whether or not anyone goes back to Hogwarts, what the other Horcurxes are, or if Bill and Fluer successfully marry.
I know there are many out there who feel the same way, and I just hope that no one will succeed in spoiling the secrets of the final novel for those of us who really don't want to know.

Answer 6

I have and I would. Now before you give me a thumbs down simply for saying yes, hear me out:

I had HBP spoiled for me. Somebody rudely posted spoilers all over a community I was in. And then when I went to get the book, a few other people had spoilers on their shirts (which people are intending to do this time around, I might add). This time, however, I realized I would rather spoil it myself than have someone else do it instead. And you know what? If I hadn't read the spoilers days ago, someone would have spoiled it for me - on three different occasions on three different sites I've come across spoilers that would have ruined it for me. The way I see it, I would have been spoiled either way.

Frankly, I'm not willing to live in a cave. Sure, I could stop going to online communities and not go in public or watch tv or read newspapers. But it's just a book! I'm a sane person, I'm going to go about my life, the one that doesn't revolve around Harry Potter.

I've been having fun, anyway, talking about the book with people who have already had it spoiled. We agree that this was one of the best weeks ever and instead of spending it bored and impatient, we joked around and debated the authenticity. I haven't read the book and I don't feel like it ruined the book. On the contrary, I think it will make Saturday all the better and the book even more interesting, having hyped it up (and down) for five days straight now.

But that's my opinion.

Answer 7

Temptation is a fact of life; however, I never have read a spoiler before on a book and I certainly will not do it on a Harry Potter book. For example, if I had known ahead of time about Dumbledore in the last book, I would not have read it. I cried for an hour when Dumbledore died.
I have heard that someone dies in the Deathly Hallows, that is more than I needed to know. When I read a book, I want the full effect as I go from start to finish.

Too bad there won't be an 8th book...but, maybe there will be a movie?

Answer 8

I would never read a spoiler for the last Harry Potter book and have been trying not to even read news articles about the book in fear they will reveal the plot. I am a 26 year old fan who hopes to be a published writer one day. I read the first book two years ago, wondering how J.K. Rowling became so famous, and by the end of the first chapter I could easily see why. I believe Rowling is brilliant and has caused a wonderful renewal of reading for both children and adults and I can only hope that one day I will be half as successful as she has been. One article about spoilers appalled me because it says "Sales will not be affected by spoilers at all." Those people completely missed the point. The point is not sales. The point is the satisfaction of reading the book on your own, not knowing what will happen next. Even if people ruin it, yes, the book will still sell, but a big part of the reading satisfaction will be tainted. These people should be ashamed of themselves and I hope some kind of action is taken against them. Only money-hungry fiends with no appreciation for literature and art would do such a thing as spoil the outcome of the best children's book of our time.

Answer 9

Yes, I'm a huge fan of reading all the would be spoilers out there. The way that I see it, everything, and nothing, is a spoiler. We won't know for sure what happens in the book until we get it late tomorrow night/early Saturday morning (well, at least I am. Maybe others can be patient and wait lol). As it is, people have their own personal theories on what may happen, who dies, who lives, who wins, etc etc etc. And some of those opinions are the same as I've seen on some of the supposed spoilers that have leaked out. It's ALL conjecture, at this point.

Besides, I'm going to be reading the book in its entirety, not just some snippet from online. It makes SUCH a huge difference, reading a spoiler online, and then sitting down with the book and finding out that the spoiler is true. It's because you end up reading the story as it is meant to be read. I did that with HBP - I found who that D died, but I was still very, very affected by it when I actually read it. It didn't spoil it for me at all. If anything, it just made me more appreciative of the book as a whole, and for JKR as an author.

One thing I do know, though - I would never be a jerk, and deliberately spoil the book for anyone else. I know that a lot of people like to be "unspoiled", and that's fine by me. I think it's seriously f-d up that some people get some weird pleasure out of trying to ruin the books for other people.

*Squee* - It's almost out!

Answer 10

No way lol. I would be severely tempted, but in the end I think I would stop myself from reading any spoilers for the last book, simply because it's going to be just that: the last book, and you'll never have another chance to be shocked from another book's content again. That, and the fact that if I were to read spoilers on the internet, and then read the book, they won't be shocking at all, and the book might have lost effectiveness with me, in a pivotal part of the book which otherwise would have captivated me had I not ruined it for myself. I did the same thing with Eldest, the second book in the Inheritance Trilogy, I skipped ahead by accident and found something out that would have surprised me way more than if I had just read the book and found out the way I was supposed to rather than searching through the book and coming upon it accidentally.

Answer 11

No never, any self-respecting Harry Potter fan would not read any spoiler online. I personally want to wait and take in the entire book without any spoilers and I want to everything that happens to be a surprise to me and not expected because of some spoiler this is the last HP book in the series and i do not want it ruined by spoilers that already happened once when i went to a midnight buying of the 5th book some jerk screamed the ending from his car and then took off needless to say this ruined the book for me and everybody else their that is why i buy the books for Amazon so i don't have some jerk ruining it i rather have it 14 hours later and still have experience of of all the surprises. So no do not read the spoliers.