Why Harry Potter Cannot Be Compared To Twilight

I know, I know. There are so many of these type of things, but I just had to do this. You see, I am a girl who likes romance, action, fantasy, mystery and suspense. I love to read and write; it's my escape from life. Surprisingly, I never really bothered with reading until just a few years ago. Then, I picked up that book.

What book do you ask? It was none other than my paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. My mother had taken me to see the first movie when I was seven, and I had loved it so much that we had gone straight to the store and bought a copy of the book. I knew that Jarad, my older brother, had read the Harry Potter books and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Seeing as I was seven, though, I had only gotten up to where Harry meets Draco Malfoy before I gave up. I had tried reading that same book twice after that, but to no avail.

As the years went by, Harry Potter became more and more popular. I had seen the first three films and loved them, and the fourth movie was being advertised everywhere. I was twelve years old and never really had much to do with my time while I was cooped up in my what-could-be-considered-cupboard-sized bedroom. My mom didn't have the money for me to play on local sports teams like all the other girls I knew, so I turned to reading. I remember looking over at the untouched corner of my bedroom where all my old books were and having realization strike me like lightning. I had a dusty old Harry Potter book sitting in my room, and I hadn't even read it! I picked it up, opened the first few pages, and had an epiphany. This was pure brilliance. It suddenly seemed like a crime to have ignored the book for so long. I stayed up until midnight at times, just wanting to know what would happen next. I'd slip my book beneath my desk and read whenever I had the chance in class. I needed more- I craved it.

That Christmas, I was given the second book. Thanks to a too-large sweater from my grand-mom, I exchanged the gift and used that money to buy the third and fourth book (after she said it was alright). Three weeks later, I got the fifth book for my birthday. I was happy beyond belief! As soon as I turned the last page of each book, I would set it aside and start reading its sequel. Soon, I acquired the sixth book and then the seventh (and last) book a year later at its midnight release- with my older brother, of course!

What made me love these books so much? Well, the only word I can think of to describe them at the moment is magical (pun intended). JK Rowling has done an amazing job at intertwining romance, darkness, suspense, humor, fantasy, angst, and so many other things into this one story. People who automatically judge Harry Potter because it has to do with witches and wizards may not know that the series not only has magic, but it incorporates real life situations into its whole. It deals with friendships and where true loyalties lie, first loves and relationships, anger at one's self and anger at the world, forgiveness, selflessness and selfishness, what 'family' really is, and what truly matters in life. When I opened up that book and really read it and comprehended it for the first time, I was opening a door to a whole new world (and no, it was not Narnia. That's a whole other story...literally). When reading this series, readers grow with Harry and his friends. They are surprised by the many twists and turns that show up, feel the strong emotion that the author conveys through dialogue, setting, and situations. When we all read the story of Harry Potter, we are learning with him and traveling with him on a life-changing journey.

Now, I know that many people argue that Twilight is not the same genre, etc., and cannot be compared to Harry Potter, but if you'd like to, here is what I say: When it comes to how each series was written, individual writing styles aside, JK Rowling uses a wider range of vocabulary, is much more descriptive, and has a better plot line. An orphaned boy who finds out he is a supposedly powerful wizard and fights with his friends to save the world from evil, or a teenage bookworm who falls in love with a mysterious vampire. I have read both and enjoyed them. I know which one I would recommend to all teenagers, but what have you decided?