I read the first "movement" quite a few years ago at the suggestion of a friend (just after I finished Proust). Perhaps I just wasn't ready, but you seem to have found more pleasure reading them than I did. Proust was hard to get into but eventually rewarding. Powell just seemed to muddle along to me. I think your review may be enough for me, so thank you for your efforts. Although the Rowling connection seems interesting and HP hadn't appeared on my radar screen yet when I started Powell.