Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[annwfyn]

So, I've just finished reading the final Harry Potter book, and I was surprised to discover that I really liked it. It was possibly the best written book so far - JK Rowling has grown so much as a writer, and I think maybe this story suited her style better than a lot of the earlier ones.

She didn't waste too much time on emotional angst. She didn't spend too long wallowing in 'what it's like to be a teenager'. She just pushed the story onwards, and I think I've come to the conclusion that while Rowling lacks subtlety at times, and whilst she can clunk on occasion, she tells a rattling good yarn.

I really felt carried along with events. I went all gooey when Harry and Ginnie stole their one kiss of the book. I was definitely upset when Snape died, and even more so when Lupin and Tonks (who I adored) died, but it was right. I also was really strangely touched by the Snape/Lily love story, and found myself feeling incredibly sad that Snape sacrificed so very very much, and got so little for it. He, in some ways, came out as the most honourable person in the entire series - everyone else did the right thing whilst being lauded for it, and collecting the glory. Snape did the right thing while being almost universally reviled, which was something else.

I also was very glad for the epilogue. It was nice to see a writer actually stamping the end of the book with a big firm 'CLOSURE' stamp. It ended as it should have done, although I'm now pondering the definite tendancy for very young marriage in the wizarding community. Harry's parents, from the dates given on their tombstone, were both 20 when he was born, and I don't think Ginnie could have been much older when she had the first of her kids with Harry if my numbers are correct. It seems a little sad that the Harry Potter world is one in which you have to make nearly all your big life decisions by the age of eighteen, because afterwards your life course has been set for you.

But maybe that's me also pondering the tragedy of Snape - he was put into Slytherin House at the age of 11, and from then on in, he was forced into being the person that had to die. And that's really really sad. Poor Severus.

Comments

[ksirafai.livejournal.com]

The only two deaths which caught me were Dobby and (possibly bizarrely) Fred. Snape's life was appropriate, but by that time I was rather out-deathed. I'm well aware that reading the book in snatches between Massive Sceneage and desperately scrambling for it to be finished by the time Andy was going to take it away from me didn't help, but it felt oddly paced and sometimes a bit pointless.

Though the massive flashbacks to PY while H/R/H were wandering around in the winter with a tent, loads of books and No Food were entertaining unto me. I want to be Hermione when I grow up. ;)

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

Dobby's death made me feel really sad, which is weird because up until then he just annoyed me. Maybe it's because one of my colleagues looks kinda like him.

[windzswept.livejournal.com]

I missed the Tonks/Lupin deaths...

I think... if I'm right that Harry is 17 in book 7, which means that Ginny is either 16 or almost 16. 19 years later would make her ~35. Lily has to wait 2 years before joining Hogwarts which would make her ~9 (so Ginny had her when she was ~26), Albus is 11 (so Ginny had her when she was ~24), James must have been born some point between her being 18 and 23 - I'm edging towards 22 personally.

However what I don't get is why Teddy is still going to Hogwarts - he must be 19 at that point, at which point he should have already left. :o)

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

I think Teddy has left Hogwarts, but he's dating Victoire, who is still a student, and has come to see her off. Hence the 'Teddy's snogging our cousin on the station' thing.

[melsner.livejournal.com]

It's possible that Teddy was held back several grades, because anyone with werewolf genes isn't terribly bright.

[windzswept.livejournal.com]

oh and iirc Snape swore to kill DD if Draco couldn't before he promised DD that he'd kill him.

:o)

Not so clear cut. I think Snape just chose the memories that showed him in a good light to pass on.

[(Anonymous)]

Snape and Fred made me sad.

Loved it to..

[blatherbits.livejournal.com]

he was put into Slytherin House at the age of 11, and from then on in, he was forced into being the person that had to die. And that's really really sad. Poor Severus

I agree with you here, and she actually mentions the same thought throub Dumbledoor at one point. Where he muses weather they sort the children into houses to early.

[crocodilewings.livejournal.com]

Partly because it was telegraphed with all the subtlety of a pillowase full of oranges, and partly just to shut up all the Snape-fanciers who piped up after the previous book, I was really hoping he'd turn out to actually be a proper bad guy.

I think "Snape-fancier" is going to be my insult of choice from this point onwards.

[wyldcard.livejournal.com]

I really liked it too.

Lots of death, which was cool - I was worried it was going to be a war without any deaths. When Hedwig and Mad Eye bought it early, I thought "that can't be it". JK had mentioned that two characters died and one "got a last minute reprieve". I'm not sure who those were she was referring to - I suspect George was the reprieve (we don't really see him in the Battle of Hogwarts - and he and Fred were nearly always together - so I suspect he might have been "written out" by that stage in earlier drafts).

After reading it, I went to Mugglenet and looked at the "questions book 7 might answer" section, which was really interesting. For example, Petunia in OotP mentions (at the point where she reveals she knows what Dementors are) that "I overheard her and that boy talking about them". Harry, mistakenly, thinks she means Lily and James, but she in fact meant Lily and Snape...

Anyway, long comment. I should probably post my own discussion.

One last thought, though. If the Elder Wand was unbeatable, how did Dumbledore defeat Grindewald (sp?)?

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

One last thought, though. If the Elder Wand was unbeatable, how did Dumbledore defeat Grindewald (sp?)?

I imagine he cheated. Or used his sister's death against him.

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

It ended as it should have done, although I'm now pondering the definite tendancy for very young marriage in the wizarding community.

I think it's probably not a wizard thing, it's a war time thing. Both James and Lily and Harry and Ginny went through extremely traumatic events in their teenage years, losing family members and friends by the dozen, that sort of impermanency tends to make people want to create something permanent and safe in their lives, thus having children.

It's quite common for returned soldiers to start having a family straight away, creating post-war baby booms, which I imagined happened after both Voldemort crises.

Or it could just be that magic based contraception is unreliable.

"Honey, did you remember to shout expecto condomo at the right time?"

[cairmen.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I just cast falloffo chairo at the last line.