The new Harry Potter is hot like whoa. I put down the book and wanted a cigarette. Is there a word for that?

It was a real testament to the power of good editing. My favourite thing about the early Harry Potter books is just how tightly written they are - a characteristic that was notably lacking from HP5. I've always felt that the greatest danger to Harry Potter would be that it would grow too big, by which I mean that publishers would grow reluctant to interfere with what they (rightly) see as a winning formula and allow J.K Rowling free rein in her writing. It's been a trap that a lot of publishers and authors have fallen into - think of the difference between the early works of John Grisham and Stephen King, and the later tripe they were allowed to publish by virtue of being pulp-fiction superstars - and I feel like that was what happened in Order of the Phoenix.

Well, somebody at Bloomsbury grew some balls this time around - and it shows. Seriously excellent book.

I want to go back to bed and start re-reading (ah, what does work in twelve hours matter compared to re-reading?), but am looking forward to picking over the book again and again in the next few days. Three days off next week equals six re-readings ... or something.