Since 1998, J.K. Rowling has captured the hearts of millions with her incredible Harry Potter series. For nearly a decade, each of her seven books have left the reader anticipating the next adventure; but, for some reason, even some of the most fanatic Harry Potter fans have sunk their teeth into Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling Twilight series, and have all but forgotten the magic their previously favorite series had brought them.
What is it about either of the series that has drawn so many fans, that causes them to immerse themselves in the many paged fantasy novels? For Harry Potter, the answer is complicated yet simple in its own way: the story is much more intriguing and well-thought out compared to the vampire love story that some claim to be the best all around.
What is so amazing about the Twilight series? Oh, just the fact that Meyers provides deliciously graphic adjectives and ten-page-long descriptions of how “gorgeous,” “perfect,” and yet incredibly “dangerous” dear Edward Cullen is. This and, of course, the tragically wonderful love story between Bella and her two true loves Edward the vampire and Jacob the werewolf. Just looking at those words, anyone in their right mind would think it’s the type of
story that only silly, sentimental fools would read.
Harry Potter actually has a story, with a goal and developing plot that lasts our hero’s youth. He faces difficult times -- much more than just a lovesick dilemma -- and struggles with both insignificant and exceedingly crucial topics that all people face when growing up.
Harry has a love story as well; between the third and fifth books, he has a crush on Cho Chang, just like any other teenager. But J.K. Rowling reveals it in a different manner. Instead of going on about it, she merely hints it with Harry’s behavior around Cho, and occasionally talks about it. She also includes a lot of clever humor, so that the story is not focused on Harry’s far-off love, but rather on him and other characters. Plus, when it turns out that Cho is not the right one for him -- because normal guys are generally very uncomfortable around girls sobbing over their dead boyfriend -- he begins a crush on Ginny Weasley, but refuses to be with her for a long time because he is loyal to his best friend, Ron Weasley.
Besides that, the series has many different characters that affect Harry’s life in both good and bad ways. The Weasley’s are a second family to Harry, seeing that the Durseley’s treated him worst than a muddy dog around the immaculate house. Ron befriends Harry on the first day, and Mrs. Weasley is the mother he never had. And of course, there’s Hermione, who remains true to Harry even during the few times Ron begins to fade away. Then, there’s jovial Hagrid, wise Professor Dumbledore, and many other friends. Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, and other
Slytherins provide the list of Harry’s school enemies, and provide most of the plot, because realistically, a story is never a good story unless there are some “bad guys.”










Furthermore, Rowling’s humor is used to let the pages pass by quickly and sometimes even be used to mock something more serious. Fantasy is meant to be a metaphorical way of presenting a theme, idea, or opinion.
But most important of all, Rowling alludes to controversial topics, that Harry and his friends become involved in as the series goes on. The Ministry of Magic intervening in Hogwarts’ education in Order of the Phoenix is a huge example of government becoming so corrupt in their own power, it’ll do anything to save their reputation, as what the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, tries to keep Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore from telling the world that Lord Voldemort has returned. Also, the prejudice that Rowling describes between the pure-blood families and the muggle-borns (called “Mudbloods,” a derogatory term towards people like Hermione), and how people treated house-elves as no more than inferior servants that do not mind working hard all the time. These topics are highly significant, for it describes the class-warfare that goes on today, and what turncoats people can be, as the books describe Harry’s rises and falls from popularity at Hogwarts.
It is said by certain fans that Bella in Twilight is the more realistic heroine than Harry, perhaps because she doesn’t have magical powers. She also acts like any other troubled teenager who thinks she’s madly in love, but it is just an infatuation. Harry, at least, has flaws like any normal human being, while at the same time preserving the traditional traits of any other literary hero: he’s noble, brave, willing to face death when in danger, willing to save his friends, and tries to discover where he belongs.
Also, within the wizard series, there’s the question of creativity. How can anyone, who has read the series, think that Stephanie Meyer portrays a better example of fantasy? Last time anyone checked, there are no words within Twilight that are similar to “Wingardium Leviosa,” or “Hogwarts,” or even “Albus Dumbledore.” Not that anyone is judging against Stephanie Meyer’s lack of creativity, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that there is nothing to compare when people go on about how Twilight is way better than Harry Potter.