Book Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The end. She promised that. With
spoilers.
My previous predictions from an earlier
entry:
(1) Dumbledore is not dead.
(2) Harry returns to Hogwarts next year.
(3) Harry discovers that he is a Horcrux.
Well, the first one is kind of true, in the sense that none of the old Hogwarts headmasters are really dead- they live on in their portraits, giving advice, offering help, and able to travel between other portraits of themselves.
The second one is true. Had to happen, really. Everyone is at Hogwarts. Harry had to return to Hogwarts if for no other reason than the final battle.
The third one, as I was told yesterday, is an obvious plot point. However, I have a problem with it. Harry is an unintentional horcrux, and I'm not sure that's possible. Certainly not logical,based on the deliberateness with which the other horcruxes had to be made. But, it made a good story.
Another prediction I made was that, since Voldemort used Harry's blood to recreate his body in the third book, there would always be more of Harry present when the two were together. Yep. That was true. And, I believe I said that immediately following the reading of the third book.
A private prediction I made to several friends was that Snape was always loyal to Dumbledore and that Dumbledore's death in the sixth book was arranged. Yep. I could write these books. Unfortunately, I am in the middle of several others, waiting on inspiration to hit.
Ron and Hermione marry and raise lots of wizarding kids... yep.
Lupin dies. Tonks dies (which saddened me). Mad-Eye Moody supposedly died, but I have evidence to suggest he's still around, and a little crazy. Fred dies. Neville's grandmother turns out to be totally awesome. Mrs. Weasley turns out to be totally awesome.
Oh, yeah, Voldemort dies.
This is not a children's book. Sure, there are so many very young fans out there that they will get hold of it and gorge themselves on the words, but it is not a children's book. The ideas, the philosophies, the personal interactions involved between the characters are all dependent on a mature understanding to fully appreciate. Those children who read the book now are going to read it again in three years, five years and find so much more in it than they remembered, which is, obviously, a sign of good literature. But to already have that understanding and reading the book is an amazing and exciting prospect. Despite Harry's propensity for being whiny, even at seventeen, and his dependence on his friends' loyalties to alleviate the issues between them, even Harry Potter becomes a likable figure, even when his lightning-shaped scar starts burning all over again... and again... and again.
As expected, Harry becomes the Messiah figure he has always been destined to become, even rising from the dead, again, sort of, to proclaim victory over the evil that killed him, twice. Dumbledore hangs out long enough to be the guide and leader he always was, though we learn some disenchanting things about the friendly and kind-hearted headmaster.
I do wish some references had been made to the Deathly Hallows in the previous books. Though Harry and Hermione were brought up by Muggles, Ron could certainly have related some of Beedle's stories at some point, able to show his superior knowledge, if only momentarily. Without that, it feels like the items were made up just for this book; it causes the careful planning of the stories to appear sloppy. I have the same misgivings over the thestrals that pull the carriages- Harry should have always been able to see them- he had seen death when he was one year old.
Oh! The actual review! The first third of this book, perhaps the first half, is ploddingly slow, even with the suspense of always being chased pushing Harry, Ron, and Hermione forward. However, once they are able to do something, the story takes off and nearly never lets up! The final battle is about the last 100 pages or so, and, after reading through nearly 4,000 pages to get there, it seems short by comparison. There are no real surprises until the last two chapters. Everything we've been taught by Harry and Dumbledore is true, so careful readers know what to expect, even without my spoilers all over this page. Very well worth the read... all seven books, though there are some that fly faster than others: Goblet of Fire and Half-Blood Prince are the best of the series. I canonly hope that they'll take these last two novels and do them each in two movies, so there should be four movies left, because there is way too much in each of them for just one movie each.
Oh, yeah... Harry and Ginny get married and have kids, too.
The final word: 8 wands out of 10, with a flourish.
(1) Dumbledore is not dead.
(2) Harry returns to Hogwarts next year.
(3) Harry discovers that he is a Horcrux.
Well, the first one is kind of true, in the sense that none of the old Hogwarts headmasters are really dead- they live on in their portraits, giving advice, offering help, and able to travel between other portraits of themselves.
The second one is true. Had to happen, really. Everyone is at Hogwarts. Harry had to return to Hogwarts if for no other reason than the final battle.
The third one, as I was told yesterday, is an obvious plot point. However, I have a problem with it. Harry is an unintentional horcrux, and I'm not sure that's possible. Certainly not logical,based on the deliberateness with which the other horcruxes had to be made. But, it made a good story.
Another prediction I made was that, since Voldemort used Harry's blood to recreate his body in the third book, there would always be more of Harry present when the two were together. Yep. That was true. And, I believe I said that immediately following the reading of the third book.
A private prediction I made to several friends was that Snape was always loyal to Dumbledore and that Dumbledore's death in the sixth book was arranged. Yep. I could write these books. Unfortunately, I am in the middle of several others, waiting on inspiration to hit.
Ron and Hermione marry and raise lots of wizarding kids... yep.
Lupin dies. Tonks dies (which saddened me). Mad-Eye Moody supposedly died, but I have evidence to suggest he's still around, and a little crazy. Fred dies. Neville's grandmother turns out to be totally awesome. Mrs. Weasley turns out to be totally awesome.
Oh, yeah, Voldemort dies.
This is not a children's book. Sure, there are so many very young fans out there that they will get hold of it and gorge themselves on the words, but it is not a children's book. The ideas, the philosophies, the personal interactions involved between the characters are all dependent on a mature understanding to fully appreciate. Those children who read the book now are going to read it again in three years, five years and find so much more in it than they remembered, which is, obviously, a sign of good literature. But to already have that understanding and reading the book is an amazing and exciting prospect. Despite Harry's propensity for being whiny, even at seventeen, and his dependence on his friends' loyalties to alleviate the issues between them, even Harry Potter becomes a likable figure, even when his lightning-shaped scar starts burning all over again... and again... and again.
As expected, Harry becomes the Messiah figure he has always been destined to become, even rising from the dead, again, sort of, to proclaim victory over the evil that killed him, twice. Dumbledore hangs out long enough to be the guide and leader he always was, though we learn some disenchanting things about the friendly and kind-hearted headmaster.
I do wish some references had been made to the Deathly Hallows in the previous books. Though Harry and Hermione were brought up by Muggles, Ron could certainly have related some of Beedle's stories at some point, able to show his superior knowledge, if only momentarily. Without that, it feels like the items were made up just for this book; it causes the careful planning of the stories to appear sloppy. I have the same misgivings over the thestrals that pull the carriages- Harry should have always been able to see them- he had seen death when he was one year old.
Oh! The actual review! The first third of this book, perhaps the first half, is ploddingly slow, even with the suspense of always being chased pushing Harry, Ron, and Hermione forward. However, once they are able to do something, the story takes off and nearly never lets up! The final battle is about the last 100 pages or so, and, after reading through nearly 4,000 pages to get there, it seems short by comparison. There are no real surprises until the last two chapters. Everything we've been taught by Harry and Dumbledore is true, so careful readers know what to expect, even without my spoilers all over this page. Very well worth the read... all seven books, though there are some that fly faster than others: Goblet of Fire and Half-Blood Prince are the best of the series. I canonly hope that they'll take these last two novels and do them each in two movies, so there should be four movies left, because there is way too much in each of them for just one movie each.
Oh, yeah... Harry and Ginny get married and have kids, too.
The final word: 8 wands out of 10, with a flourish.
Posted: Tue - August 28, 2007 at 07:50 AM
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Published On: Oct 25, 2007 09:25 PM
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Published On: Oct 25, 2007 09:25 PM