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A review by thelizabeth
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5.0
Yeah. You know what? You know what? There it is, boom, five stars, I love it, we did it. We did it!
I really liked everything that happened in this book. And that felt like a relief, like finally, achievement unlocked! Each of the other books has something, a caper, a subplot, or yet another Polyjuice Potion that I waited patiently with as it went on and on. But this book really did it: in all, all, all the hundreds of pages of lead-time going down before That Ending, it all flowed nice and crisp from one slightly dreadful thing into another. The pace and tone kept an emotional logic. It was really, really good. And, almost, like its own separate novel. (It's really easy to see why it seemed natural to make two movies.) I truly loved the first 80% of this book, and then, pretty much, I watched patiently through the end until I could say it was all over.
Let's break down some of those great things, in order of how awesomely they spring to mind:
* The wedding. It's such a good beginning. And it sets everyone in motion, which I also loved, the escapes and endless tense traveling, with the tent and all.
* Godric's Hollow. I loved it there. I love Harry's sad little reckoning with the graves of his parents, and the memorial set up at their house, and then the terrifying encounter they flee from.
* The Ministry of Magic. This episode really impressed me, because it's leaning on several things that aren't the strongest for me: the Muggle-born hearing could easily sail over the top. And Polyjuice, again? But they were put into such frightening effect that I was thrilled it happened and totally anxious and sad. (It's kinda good when books make me sad? Idk?)
* Malfoy Manor. BELLATRIX. That is all.
* Every thing where Luna and Neville were there. The Room of Requirement and the D.-frickin'-A.
The extended mythology of this book, like the Deathly Hallows themselves, and Dumbledore's backstory, were all well and good. And certainly, we needed them, because those are the gifts that keep on giving once the reading's all over. The element I enjoyed the most was Harry's keeping an eye on V-mort's frantic search, figuring out what he's after, figuring out how scared to be. But what really did it for me, reading-wise, were how good all these scenes themselves were, around all the information.
So then.
The utter epicness of the Battle of Hogwarts is rather overwhelming. Like a Russell T. Davies series finale, it's one of those deals where every single thing and person needs to show up and be dealt with and have an extended reverie and then deaths and the whole hundred and nine yards. It's a lot. Not all of it worked for me, but that's okay. I'm not a battle type, I'm a staring-morosely-at-gravestones type, so we got me covered way earlier. It's cool.
But, so, I didn't get particularly emotional about any of these things going on, which is sort of too bad because it's doing a lot, with a lot of people I cared for. Only ONE THING created a small particle of a salty tear in my eye.
And the very very end… it's okay. (And the Epilogue, I know, I know.)
Overall. Overall. What do I think. What did I like. Basically I'm obsessed with the First Wizarding War as it is apparently known. It is some of the coolest backstory of anything, I really like it. It annoys me a lot that there aren't real stories to have about it. Because I kinda think I like its story better than our whole latter-day series, here. Or rather, it's the sadder, grown-up story that I wish we could have more of. For, y'know, the sad grownup in us.
Related, not surprising that the adult women made the biggest heroic impression for me, meaning, McGonagall is #1 forever (Molly Weasley a near but distinct second).
Also, I started a whole email thread with Lindsay to help me process my feelings about Remus Lupin and I MAY NEED TO UPDATE once I have finished, you know. My Lupin Feelings.
A few evenings after I finished this book, I walked past a little boy playing on his front stoop in my neighborhood. He was out there in the dark, practicing his "Wingardium Leviosa!!!!" as heartily as he possibly could.
I really liked everything that happened in this book. And that felt like a relief, like finally, achievement unlocked! Each of the other books has something, a caper, a subplot, or yet another Polyjuice Potion that I waited patiently with as it went on and on. But this book really did it: in all, all, all the hundreds of pages of lead-time going down before That Ending, it all flowed nice and crisp from one slightly dreadful thing into another. The pace and tone kept an emotional logic. It was really, really good. And, almost, like its own separate novel. (It's really easy to see why it seemed natural to make two movies.) I truly loved the first 80% of this book, and then, pretty much, I watched patiently through the end until I could say it was all over.
Let's break down some of those great things, in order of how awesomely they spring to mind:
* The wedding. It's such a good beginning. And it sets everyone in motion, which I also loved, the escapes and endless tense traveling, with the tent and all.
* Godric's Hollow. I loved it there. I love Harry's sad little reckoning with the graves of his parents, and the memorial set up at their house, and then the terrifying encounter they flee from.
* The Ministry of Magic. This episode really impressed me, because it's leaning on several things that aren't the strongest for me: the Muggle-born hearing could easily sail over the top. And Polyjuice, again? But they were put into such frightening effect that I was thrilled it happened and totally anxious and sad. (It's kinda good when books make me sad? Idk?)
* Malfoy Manor. BELLATRIX. That is all.
* Every thing where Luna and Neville were there. The Room of Requirement and the D.-frickin'-A.
The extended mythology of this book, like the Deathly Hallows themselves, and Dumbledore's backstory, were all well and good. And certainly, we needed them, because those are the gifts that keep on giving once the reading's all over. The element I enjoyed the most was Harry's keeping an eye on V-mort's frantic search, figuring out what he's after, figuring out how scared to be. But what really did it for me, reading-wise, were how good all these scenes themselves were, around all the information.
So then.
The utter epicness of the Battle of Hogwarts is rather overwhelming. Like a Russell T. Davies series finale, it's one of those deals where every single thing and person needs to show up and be dealt with and have an extended reverie and then deaths and the whole hundred and nine yards. It's a lot. Not all of it worked for me, but that's okay. I'm not a battle type, I'm a staring-morosely-at-gravestones type, so we got me covered way earlier. It's cool.
But, so, I didn't get particularly emotional about any of these things going on, which is sort of too bad because it's doing a lot, with a lot of people I cared for. Only ONE THING created a small particle of a salty tear in my eye.
Spoiler
Although it is the most ridiculous thing ever to watch Snape dyingly draw blue wispy memories out of his brains with his wand and then immediately expire, AND although it's also ridiculous to then go and spend twenty minutes of a raging battle watching a movie in the Pensieve, I rather loved the very adult and tragic gesture of Snape letting Harry finally have the story. It's a humiliating one, as far as Snape is concerned. We know how fiercely he was embarrassed by it, and it's such a sad little surrender to make with your final act, to let your guard all the way down forever. In general Snape always had my heart, though his actual presentation in the series could have been a million times subtler. But I get it, and I like him, a lot.And the very very end… it's okay. (And the Epilogue, I know, I know.)
Overall. Overall. What do I think. What did I like. Basically I'm obsessed with the First Wizarding War as it is apparently known. It is some of the coolest backstory of anything, I really like it. It annoys me a lot that there aren't real stories to have about it. Because I kinda think I like its story better than our whole latter-day series, here. Or rather, it's the sadder, grown-up story that I wish we could have more of. For, y'know, the sad grownup in us.
Related, not surprising that the adult women made the biggest heroic impression for me, meaning, McGonagall is #1 forever (Molly Weasley a near but distinct second).
Also, I started a whole email thread with Lindsay to help me process my feelings about Remus Lupin and I MAY NEED TO UPDATE once I have finished, you know. My Lupin Feelings.
A few evenings after I finished this book, I walked past a little boy playing on his front stoop in my neighborhood. He was out there in the dark, practicing his "Wingardium Leviosa!!!!" as heartily as he possibly could.