*SPOILER* Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows *SPOILER*

Eskimo1990

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Just finished the book a few minutes ago and let me just say....wow....certainly not what I expected. Great book! Hopefully people post here....I've been searching for someone to discuss this book with! *mutters*stupid friends not reading fast enough *mutters*
 

Jack_Roberts

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All Good things… my review of the last Potter; Spoilers Plenty!





Whew! What a ride!

I started interest in the Potterverse in ’01. The movie was coming out (as was Lord of the Rings) and I wanted to read the book so I could properly judge the film before I saw it.

I picked up the first Harry Potter and couldn’t put it down. I had checked it out from the local library, devoured it on the bus to work, at lunch, before and after work. I could not get enough. I then picked up the second, third and finally the fourth. I remember when I finished the first book at 9 pm. My wife was asleep at the house was very quiet. I can still feel the quiet, peaceful urge to just slip back in to that wonderful universe.

By the time I got in line for the first movie I had become a Potter nut. I was so excited to see so much from the new book I loved on the screen. I enjoyed each movie as they came out (and will do the same for the last two). I lamented the stuff that was cut and enjoyed the stuff that we did see.

When the fifth book came out I heard of the 12:00 lines but I blew them off. I went in the next day and to my horror it was sold out at the local Wal Mart. We searched in the city and found one copy at a Wal Mart in there. I remember taking the book home and reading it to the kids. I couldn’t finish the reading because they all drifted off. My eldest doesn’t like reading and lost interest. She’d rather see the movies. My other kids got distracted. I still remember using different voices for the characters. This is why movie five was so surreal to me.

When book six came out I was wiser. I arrived at Wal Mart an hour ahead. The kids came along cause it’s fun to go to the store at midnight. We got the book and brought it home. They didn’t want me to read it, but they did want spoilers. During the same week it came out, my little David needed his next plastic surgery. My wife and I stayed at the hospital the three days he was there. I had plenty of time to read it. I remember watching Dumbledore dying while reading in one of the hospital bathrooms at 1 am.
As some of you know, I was writing my first book at this time and made the stupid mistake of comparing my rough draft to JKR’s 6th book. Dumb. But thanks to several people, I woke up, took a good look and fixed things.

I have no bad comparison feelings this time. JKR is JKR and I am me. Several have expressed a desire to see more of my world and I firmly believe in the work. If anything, reading book 7 just gets me more excited to continue the good fight.

Wow, I’m long winded. Sorry. It’s just that the Potterverse has formed a strong place in my heart. It’s hard to see it go but all good things have to end. If they don’t then they grow stale or get convoluted (like Marvel and DC have done).

My thoughts on book 7?
First off, it began strong. In one of the few times in the entire series, we start from a different perspective than Harry. Nice, strong beginning with a look in on the bad guys. Then we finish the Dursleys. What a strong start! There was humor and drama. I was at a loss and had to reread Hedwig’s death to make sure I read it right. She made us think Hagrid was dead and that had me on my seat. The loss of George’s ear was shocking and their ability to land on their feet was a good show.

Things continued very well. I loved Ginny’s birthday present to Harry and Ron’s clear affection to Hermione. I was shocked at Moody’s death and bewildered that “Year Seven at Hogwarts” wasn’t at Hogwarts. Then, when the trio are doing nothing and suffering the evil of the Ring (I mean the necklace), I was turning sour. It seemed to drag.

But then it was a trip to the Malfoys and it picked up very fast. I couldn’t put it down! Dobby’s stuff got to me, the Vault stuff was fun and the revelations about Dumbledore and his brother was enlightening.

I really enjoyed how many revelations came one after the other. Each big reveal scene was spaced between plenty of action scenes and lots of old friends returning.
The Battle of Hogwarts (so many came back! Fred, Lupin, Tonks and Colen Creevy all died! No! Not one of the twins!), Hermione and Ron finally hooking up (BOUT FLIPPIN TIME!), the reveal of Snape (I knew it!) and finally to discover that Harry was in fact the seventh horcrux (just as Emerson of Mugglenet predicted).

When it was discovered that Harry had to die I suspected (since the Dumbledore in the Pensieve closed his eyes) that there was more to the story, but I still felt like “Feh. Ok. Whatever. He’s had a life time of pain but… feh.” It was nice (and another confirmation to my predictions) when we saw Harry’s parents, Lupin and Sirius again. That links into that line from Luna (things we lose have a funny way of turning up).
But my suspicions were correct. Harry wouldn’t die! And what a bang up, smash up final! I was wrong. Nevil didn’t give his life. I liked his heroic moments far better.
They CAN’T cut anything from the battle for the movie. Cut out most of the wandering trio, just not the battle.
I figured the Epilogue would be with the older Harry & Ginny Potter, Ron & Hermione Weasley and all the kids. Perfect.
So Harry was born in 1980, the books took place from 1991-1997, and the “19 years later” epilouge took place last year. That means this year is Albus Severus Potter and Rose Weasley’s second year at Hogwarts. I can hear the fan fic keyboards typing already.

A fitting end to a wonder experience. It is my fondest wish, dream and life goal to bring that much joy to people in the future.

“Good Ol’ JK!” Thanks!
 

Melanie Lane

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My friends aren't reading it fast enough, either. I read it Saturday. :)

Spoilers

All in all, it was my favorite of the lot, but though I understood, I was rather frusterated that Harry had to die to save everyone. It felt to me as though it was a Passion of the Christ analogy after all the religious persecution J.K.'s received. I looked at the book and went "Hun, you can do better than that!"

I also felt that she could've had a longer denoument, showing how the wizarding community was reacting and how the Ministry would pick itself back off its feet. I guess that'll be in the next book...I'd give it two years tops before another is on the shelf (that is definitely wishful thinking).

And yet, it is my favorite by far. I loved the (FINALLY) relationship between Hermione and Ron, and how Aberforth was finally brought into the story's foreground.

But I have to say, my favorite quote of the whole book was when Mrs. Weasly yelled "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU B****!"

They CAN’T cut anything from the battle for the movie. Cut out most of the wandering trio, just not the battle.
agreed. Wandering trio can go as far as I'm concerned.

They won't be able to cut nearly as much material from the movie from this one as the others...I wonder how they're going to do it...
 

Hillary

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If you've gotten this far in the posts, I'm not bothering to warn that there are spoilers.

NOT FRED! NOOOOOOOO!

That's pretty much all I have to say about that. I was CRUSHED by the death of one of the twins, absolutely crushed. Everything else I understood as necessary, but... But... Not one of my beloved twins. They are the definition of magic. It was awful.

I know someone loved the line "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" but I've got British friends (bless), and when they get heartily pissed off at other women, "bitch" doesn't fly out of their mouths with the regularity of the C and T words for, uh... Female anatomy... Granted, I can't see Mrs Weasley saying that, but still, that's what happened in my head.

Because I adore HP, I'm a HP fan fic beta reader accredited with Perfect Imagination. I confess I'm getting seriously revved up for the prelim email requests to come rolling in for me to read post-Deathly Hallows fanfic. I have one request already. Yikes, way to get writing.

p.s. - It makes me, as a fanfic beta, HIGHLY amused it is now canon fact that Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Draco are not virgins. I know it seems infantile, but I laugh every time I think about correcting fics regarding this sort of thing. I'm so lame.
 

reenkam

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They won't be able to cut nearly as much material from the movie from this one as the others...I wonder how they're going to do it...

They should just make a 3 hour movie. Sure people would complain, but they'd get over it. I mean, why sacrifice the story just because some people can't sit. And if they do it right it's not like people should get bored, anyway...

but I bet they won't listen to my opinion
 

dclary

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All in all, it was my favorite of the lot, but though I understood, I was rather frusterated that Harry had to die to save everyone. It felt to me as though it was a Passion of the Christ analogy after all the religious persecution J.K.'s received. I looked at the book and went "Hun, you can do better than that!"

No.. It wasn't a Passion of the Christ analogy. It was a Neo analogy.

Neo had to die before he could become The One, in the Matrix. "It looks like you're waiting for something." "What?" "I don't know. Your next life maybe."

Harry was in the same boat. He had to die because neither could live. But per the prophecy, Harry had power the Dark Lord suspected not: the fact that Voldemort himself had left open a path for his soul to reunite with his body, if he so chose.
 

dclary

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SOMEONE was reading Potter instead of doing math homework!
 

maestrowork

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No.. It wasn't a Passion of the Christ analogy. It was a Neo analogy.

Neo had to die before he could become The One, in the Matrix. "It looks like you're waiting for something." "What?" "I don't know. Your next life maybe."

Harry was in the same boat. He had to die because neither could live. But per the prophecy, Harry had power the Dark Lord suspected not: the fact that Voldemort himself had left open a path for his soul to reunite with his body, if he so chose.

But Neo/Matrix (even Neo is the anagram of ONE) is a Christ allegory. And with Neo, there was no resurrection. With Harry, he came back.
 

Hillary

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But Neo/Matrix (even Neo is the anagram of ONE) is a Christ allegory. And with Neo, there was no resurrection. With Harry, he came back.

Which, technically, is called a "Holy Crapballs! If I kill Harry, my dynasty will suffer, I will stop raking in as many millions of pounds, and the royalty checks for my books, audio books, and movie rights will be substantially smaller from now until forever because who wants to start a series about a boy who eats it in the end? And... Since I was kinda hoping to help our my heirs for the next 12 generations, he HASTA live. Darnitall! Well, fine, he can fake-die and come back then. Hmph."
allegory. But I could be wrong. Very very wrong.
 

Eskimo1990

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Okay, since when I posted in the beginning I really didn't say much I'm gonna do it now.

I can not believe they killed Fred...I started crying when I read that, and Percy's reaction made it a lot more emotional I think.
And Dobby, I cried, he better be in the 7th movie! I thought Hargrid had died, I nearly started crying. All in all the book was great and I couldn't put it down. Proud of my self for finishing it in a day :) (The day it came out I was camping, and my dad wouldn't go out at midnight and buy it so my mom did which means I didn't get to start reading it til sunday night at like 8 so yeah)
 

BenPanced

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They won't be able to cut nearly as much material from the movie from this one as the others...I wonder how they're going to do it...
They could cut about 50% or more of Harry, Hermione, and Ron on the run. I kept excepting Charlton Heston, Anne Baxter, and Yvonne DeCarlo to pop up and act out scenes from The Ten Commandments; this was pretty much my only complaint. Overall, I thought it was a satisfying conclusion.

And my favorite part was McGonagall leading the charge of the animated desks. I can so see Maggie Smith doing that...
 

Moonfish

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But the sword! The sword! Can anyone explain to me how Neville suddenly had GG's sword???
That's the biggest plot-hole to me, but maybe I just read too fast.
 

dclary

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But Neo/Matrix (even Neo is the anagram of ONE) is a Christ allegory. And with Neo, there was no resurrection. With Harry, he came back.

Um... Neo died and came back to life. That's not resurrection?
 

dclary

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But the sword! The sword! Can anyone explain to me how Neville suddenly had GG's sword???
That's the biggest plot-hole to me, but maybe I just read too fast.

He's a Gryffindor with a Sorting Hat near a snake. JKR's already established what happens when this event is set up.
 

madderblue

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*of course, spoilers*

Just finished last night. I thought it was her best as well. There were several eye brow raising moments but overall well done.

I thought there was quite a bit of Lord of the Rings influence as well -- having to carry the locket around (and why couldn't they keep it in Harry's or Hermione's bag?), how that evil power seeped into the wearer, the goblin image and all; actually there was more I'll have to go back and check.

Personally, I wish she woulda saved Fred and done away with Hagrid. Sorry, that's just me.
 

Tanatra

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*Isn't even going to bother with a spoiler warning, oh wait....*

Any theories on what the baby-like creature was at the limbo version of King's Cross? The most obvious (and hence, my own) guess is that it was Harry's horcrux.

I actually didn't think about the Christ parallels while reading, but that's mostly because I was thinking "Wow, all of those annoying message board addicts who kept claiming that Harry was the final horcrux were right!" the entire time. Heh, but I don't think anyone predicted his resurrection.

Now for my opinion: I think that it was easily one of the best in the series. The first 3/4 or so of the book when they're on the run dragged on in places, though it was occasionally interspersed with great moments, such as in the chapter titled "The Silver Doe". I absolutely loved the enigmatic nature of the Silver Doe and the Horcrux scene was just outstanding.

Once they return to Hogwarts, the story really started to get epic & spectacular. Sometimes it seems as if Rowling kills off her supporting characters for little more than emotional effect (such as Sirius in OotP and Fred) as I doubt that the deaths of those two and a few others would have had any bearing on the plot.

The chapter of Snape's memories seemed a bit out of place being between an epic battle at Hogwarts and the final confrontation with Voldemort, yet at the same time it happened at just the right moment in the story. Snape is an amazingly deceptive character and he proved to be admirable after all. His flashbacks were very touching and showed a side of him that I don't think were ever revealed up to that point.

I also felt that she could've had a longer denoument,

I agree, and thanks for using that word (even though I think it's misspelled). I've been looking for a better term for the events following the climax (I always referred to it as "falling action" up until now). :)

For such a long and progressively complex series, the ending in this book was amazingly short. The epilogue could have been a lot more than merely "this character ends up with that character and their kids go to Hogwarts," which was extremely obvious.

Epilogues are effective in preventing drawn-out endings (which wasn't the case at all here,) but it barely followed up with anything else of interest at all. Acquittal for breaking into Gringotts? Career paths of the characters other than Neville? Possible amends between Harry & Malfoy? Why Ron's and Hermione's kids had such horrible names? (I was expecting one of them to be named Fred.) NONE OF THESE WERE ANSWERED! I have a feeling that Rowling is going to face these questions & more in future interviews.

As for the film, it should make for a great one. The best part of the book is the last 150 pages and even studios (money-driven as they may be) will realize that an epic battle at Hogwarts is the money-making part of the film and give it additional attention. However, pulling it off without cutting corners in the story properly (and creating plot holes for those who haven't read the books, which has happened many, many times) will be quite a feat.
 
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katiemac

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I agree, and thanks for using that word (even though I think it's misspelled). I've been looking for a better term for the events following the climax (I always referred to it as "falling action" up until now). :)

I agree. Now that I've finished it with a couple of days behind me, I would have felt a more solid ending with one extra chapter. So much was packed into that final one -- Harry coming back, Neville killing the snake, Voldemort's death, etc.

I put a link in the Rowling thread in Novels where she discusses a little of how she would continue the details in an Potter encyclopedia. For example, she knows who the next Headmaster is, who's the Minister of Magic, etc. Also, she gave up who was supposed to die.
 

Toothpaste

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I really loved the bit when Harry was faking dead. I dunno, it was really exciting. In on a secret kind of thing. The whole last bit at Hogwarts was the best for me, but my favourite character of the series has always been Hogwarts so it makes sense. The middle was my least fav, not because it was bad, but because I think it was so well written that I was feeling cold and miserable, and nothing was happening and I hated that feeling. And when Ron left . . . I just felt ick.

Fred really got to me, but of course because I am totally in love with Lupin . . . my heart just fell into my stomach. Just fell.
 

katiemac

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I really loved the bit when Harry was faking dead. I dunno, it was really exciting. In on a secret kind of thing. The whole last bit at Hogwarts was the best for me, but my favourite character of the series has always been Hogwarts so it makes sense. The middle was my least fav, not because it was bad, but because I think it was so well written that I was feeling cold and miserable, and nothing was happening and I hated that feeling. And when Ron left . . . I just felt ick.

Fred really got to me, but of course because I am totally in love with Lupin . . . my heart just fell into my stomach. Just fell.

Oh, I loved the end, too. But I think a lot of people felt off with the epilogue, and that's where I felt like a "bridging" chapter may have worked.

I only took two reading breaks, the first after Dobby died (which coincided with a meal), then after Fred. Snape has always been my favorite, so I'm surprised I wasn't overly upset when he died ... I think I'd prepared myself since HBP that he was going to bite it. (But not as literally as he did.)
 

Sarita

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Snape has always been my favorite, so I'm surprised I wasn't overly upset when he died ... I think I'd prepared myself since HBP that he was going to bite it. (But not as literally as he did.)
It's funny you say that, Katie. You know that Snape has always been my favorite, too. When I got this book, I was telling myself over and over that Snape was going to die, probably at the hand of Harry. But the deeper the book went, the more my thoughts changed. I was leaning more toward Snape coming through it all, possibly facing Voldemort at the end, possibly dying to protect Harry as Lily did, maybe living. When he died, it came out of nowhere to me. I was angry, especially when I learned that he died for no reason at all, except for a mistake in understanding on Voldemort's part. And it was so quick. I got the impression that, aside from Dobby, none of the deaths were contemplated afterward by the rest of the characters.

Oh well, Snape was and still remains my favorite character, the true hero of the entire series.
 

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I really expected Draco to do something significant, especially after The Gang saved him so many times. I kept thinking he was going to show up all gung-ho and kill Nagini or something.
Like someone whose blog I read said, he was never relly good at anything, not even at being evil. And in the end he was punished for his mediumness by being medium-bald...
 

LilliCray

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Not going to say what I meant to say. I thought the book was good, but I'm getting sick of Harry's hero complex. And Hermione always being the one who cries. But the book's good reading- JK Rowling's got a unique style. Plus she actually describes settings, unlike certain writers I know.

...me...? I don't know what you're talking about. I always describe my settings. :gone: