01.May.2009 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Since it’s no use for me to really review a book that has been read by millions, I’m just gonna put some afterthoughts. So beware!
*** SPOILERS BELOW ***
I’m quite surprised how I managed to avoid spoilers until now. I knew that Harry doesn’t die, because if he does, the world would roar. I think that applies to both Hermione and Ron too. Someone did spoil it for me that Dumbledore dies. But I couldn’t accept it at that time until I read it for myself. I thought the guy probably just said it to upset me. It was still a shocking moment of truth when Dumbledore gets killed.
Things that people predicted were correct. There’s something more with Snape. He’s not just one evil guy. Good for him. I thought I was really supposed to see it coming: Snape fell in love with Harry’s mom Lily, but I just didn’t. Maybe because it’s a bit too far-fetched. Like you wouldn’t have guessed that Snape and Lily have been childhood playmates out of thin air. But now that it’s out in the open, it probably makes sense. I’m wondering what happens if I were in Dumbledore position. Would I trust Snape because he cries in front of me for his lost love? Couldn’t that just be all lies and his loyalty was actually for Voldemort? Hard to say.
I loved to read about Dumbledore. All the news and people’s opinions, his past and history. They make him a lot more human and add a lot of layers to his character. Nothing I love more than layered characters. His relationship with Grindelwald makes the book feel more grown-up, though for me it’s more because of their romantic/sexual relationship than the dark magic. :P So mysterious!
About Voldemort, in a way I’m glad that he was defeated in one blow, rather than a typical “just can’t die” enemy who is dead and alive again, dead and alive again, though I’m not sure if I’m really happy with the reason (about the whole mastering the Elder Wand thing). The story about the Elder Wand was a bit confusing and it’s hard to believe that Harry could solve the mystery by himself, that he knew to be the master of the wand, you don’t need to kill the previous master, just disarm him. That way you become the master without even holding the wand. It also gives the wand an unbelievably huge role in defeating Voldemort. I’m not sure if I’m happy that Harry’s triumph totally depends on the wand. Before that I thought the big name wand was probably just a mere object at the end, then people find out that nobody has the advantage by holding the wand.
JKR also killed a few beloved characters, almost unnecessarily, because they’re not given any “screen time” at the time of their killings. It feels like she just needs to kill a few of them, because in that big of a war, there has to be deaths! Otherwise it’s too happy and unrealistic. But really, she could have elaborated their final moments in more dramatic way to satisfy the fans.
The fast forward was a bit rush. I honestly want to know more about all of the surviving characters. I went to Wiki to find out. Apparently she talked about the other characters in interviews: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Wiki. Rowling tells what happens next. I don’t know why she didn’t just include the stories in the book. I guess it’s hard not to overdo it. People have fallen in love with all these characters and they obviously want to know every little details about what happens next to them. But perhaps there’s no end to it. People keep wanting to know more and more and it’s not possible to include all of them, or else it’d be another whole new book. (which I don’t mind actually. Just a whole book about the aftermaths of the big war and how the characters rebuild their lives again. Yuum.)
Anyway, it’s hard not to be critical of this last book in the series. We grow fond of the characters. We want the best. Something perfect! But that’s not possible. So just trust the author that she has done her best to tie up this beloved story. We’ll miss you Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the folks. *tearing*
One little thing, does anyone know why they need to wear the locket all the time when they know it’s so destructible? Why can’t they just put it in the bead bag or Harry’s pouch? Is it just because they don’t want it “lying around”? But they carry the pouch and the bead bag all the time anyway. This little detail annoyed me so much through and through.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pages: 607
Publication year: 2007
First line
The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane.
Last line
All was well.
Also reviewed by
The Hidden Side of Leaf who then set up this blog to discuss | Stuff As Dreams Are Made On | A Dribble of Ink | The Symposium | 3 evil cousins (funny!) | Reading Rants! | Things Mean A Lot | Literary Escapism | In Spring it is the Dawn | Biblio File (Lavender Brown?) | Quixotical | Books & other thoughts | Musing of a Bookish Kitty | Dog Ear Diary | bottle of shine | A Fondness For Reading | Orpheus Sings the Guitar Electric | Tripping Toward Lucidity | Diary of an Eccentric | A Book A Week | Kristina’s Favorites | Word Lily | Bart’s Bookshelf | Rhinoa’s Ramblings | Dolce Bellezza | My Random Acts of Reading | Once upon a bookshelf | Books Love Me
mee 
