Well, I honestly think that I am giving Rowlling too much credit, too! And I think I nailed what she was up to, and what she did, in my essay "Harry Potter and the Mores of the 19th Century". In the end, it's just a mish-mash,and the greatness many of us thought we perceived in it were echoes of other, genuinely great, books.

But it's true, I think, that she doesn't like or understand the fantasy genre, and it's true that the books did have this effect on me. I'm a fantasy fan, and they got me to hate magic. It would be interesting, and would make me think a bit better of Rowling, if that was actually her intent.

But I do agree with you - I don't seriously think it was. I'm not sure she had any intent, actually.