Going back to Harry Potter as an adult can be a strangely eye-opening experience. A recent critique by author Jason K. Pargin, best known for John Dies at the End, argues that J.K. Rowling repeatedly prioritises spectacle over structure, relying on dramatic twists that disregard previously established rules (via LADbible).
Not a single plot twist in the story makes any sense at all! Not a single deus ex machina, where they use a magical item or spell to get them out of trouble, makes any sense at all, and I do not mean that it’s unrealistic because magic isn’t real.
I mean that very time they introduce something like this, you immediately can think of dozens of instances where they could have used this before and for some reason just didn’t.
According to him, the issue is not that magic is unrealistic, but that the story often abandons its own internal logic to achieve surprise. He continued:
The films have made billions of dollars, and every single plot twist, every single shocking story reveal, they all completely disregard what happened in the previous books or films.
With hundreds of millions of books sold and films generating billions, Harry Potter stands as evidence that emotional engagement, not rigorous storytelling, ultimately drives success.
The Most Noticeable Plot Gaps in Harry Potter
Hogwarts in Harry Potter | Image: Warner Bros.
One of the main points in Pargin’s critique is how often Harry Potter introduces ideas that create gaps in its own story. Ideas like time travel or luck potions are shown as easy to use, even though they could have solved many later problems. Once these elements are introduced, it’s hard not to wonder why they aren’t used more often.
The same looseness appears in the wizarding world itself. As Pargin stated:
The currency in the wizarding world is nonsense on purpose. Their coinage is called sickles, galleons and knuts, and there are 493 knuts in a galleon.
Quidditch is another example, a sport whose rules don’t really work, something the books even joke about. Instead of trying to explain these flaws away, the series often leans into them, making it clear that logical consistency was never the main focus.
Pargin also makes it clear that this criticism isn’t aimed at fans. His point is that storytelling works differently from problem-solving. Following a story depends more on emotion than careful reasoning, which is why these gaps rarely break immersion. Many fantasy stories do this, but Harry Potter puts it front and centre, trusting readers to stay invested even when the details don’t fully add up.
Why Harry Potter Thrived Even When the Rules Didn’t
Despite all its plot gaps, Harry Potter became one of the most successful franchises in history. The books have sold over 600 million copies worldwide, and the film series earned billions at the global box office (via Wikipedia). They were children’s books first, written to prioritise excitement, clarity, and emotional payoff over strict internal logic. Many fans believe Hogwarts felt like a place readers wanted to belong to, even if its rules didn’t always make sense.
The story also arrived at the right moment. Readers encountered it young, before they were inclined to question every detail, and many stayed attached as the series grew darker and more complex. As Pargin points out, stories work by directing attention, not by passing logic tests.
Does the magic still work for you? Let us know your take in the comments.
FranchiseHarry PotterAuthorJ.K. RowlingGenreFantasy / Drama / Coming-of-age fictionBooks Released7 main novels (1997-2007)Films Released8 films (2001-2011)Film Box Office (Total)Over $7.7 billion worldwide
All Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Peacock.
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