Harry Potter

[figment]

I borrowed the book from someone who bought it on the first night. I got it on Monday around 5 PM, and finished it last night around 9 PM, without interrupting sleep or work too much to do so. I enjoyed the read. I am now going through and reading all of your spoiler-y posts. Thanks for putting them behind cuts.


I have to admit, though, that I am disappointed in the fact that Rowling made it end in such a ... predictable way. The Great Hero has to sacrifice himself willingly for the sins of all to destroy the Great Evil, but then is resurrected due to the selflessness and purity of his sacrifice. I mean, yeah, it's classic, but we've also been reading that story for thousands of years. I hoped for a slightly more original ending.

Other than that, I did enjoy the book. I liked the development of the earlier less-than-heroic characters of Luna and Neville; I liked how they became really important.

I thought the initial abandonment of Ron - how he left Harry and Hermione - was a bit predictable and lame. I mean, it seems like Harry and Ron have some big fight practically every book. Or there's some fight between at least two of the three of them. And then they get back together, of course, because they're Best Friends Forever.

I was a little surprised and disappointed that she killed off Mad-Eye so quickly. To balance that, though, I liked the section on Snape's memories. I was honestly probably saddest at Dobby's death. Poor ol' brave misfit Dobby.

Overall ... the book ended reasonably well, and tied up the series. But it didn't affect me deeply and emotionally as I thought it would. I didn't cry once.

Comments

[wavebreaker.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with all your points. I too would have preferred a more original ending, one that would really have surprised me.

I hated the epilogue though, she should have left it out. We could have figured all that out for ourselves...

All in all it was a great read, but that was all it really was.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

I know a lot of people didn't like the epilogue. I didn't mind it, personally; I guess I saw it as the obvious and easy way for Rowling to say, "No, I am NOT writing any more Harry Potter books!" Of course other books could be written about the side characters, or about the children (Teddy seems the obvious successor, as another orphan) but that epilogue tells us that Harry's story is, apparently, done.

[wavebreaker.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's quite clear she won't write about Harry any more, at least not as a main character. But it does feel as if she's leaving the door open to write about the next generation. As long as she doesn't do it just for the money, but I understand she already has quite a bit of that, so that probably won't be the case... ;-)

Pardon me this intrusion...

[elfie-elfie.livejournal.com]

Hogwarts: The Next Generation.

It had BETTER revolve around Scorpius Malfoy.

I now extricate myself from your conversation. :-)

Re: Pardon me this intrusion...

[wavebreaker.livejournal.com]

He definitely sounds more interesting than Teddy. ;-)

[elfie-elfie.livejournal.com]

Whew. I was beginning to think I was just a cynic. All the other people
I've talked to who have finished the book were just glowing over how much they loved how the series ended, how happy they were with this book's ending, how they LOVED this, gushed over that, squealed with delight at the other thing... Nnnnnrgh!

Thank-you!

I was upset with Snape's memory-dump, actually. Not that he made sure Harry got to see it, but really: Unrequited love for Harry's mother? ARG! And Harry had absolutely no "ick! my despised teacher loved my mother! ick!" feelings?

Oh, and the "Dirty Harry" showdown moment in the main hall... *sigh* My personal taste would have preferred it with Bruce Lee-style expressions, instead of verbal sparring -- and not very skilled sparring at that.

Whew. There. Done. I saw the Transformers movie last night, so I'm SO over Snape, and am now obsessing over Bumblebee the Camaro. :-)

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

I think I perhaps enjoyed it more than you did, but I don't feel like it's a "classic". To me, the Narnia books are classic juvie lit. So is the Dark is Rising series, and the His Dark Materials (Golden Compass etc.). But I have to say I was hoping for more from HP.

I think some of the showdown's verbal sparring was to explain plot points that were otherwise left out. But I don't feel like that was the best possible way to do that. Eh.

I'm glad you liked Transformers (I can understand obsessing over a Camaro!). I think I'm going to see a play tonight (Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (http://www.neofuturists.org/)) and maybe see the new Hairspray movie tomorrow, to cleanse my palate! ;-)

[elfie-elfie.livejournal.com]

Oooo, a play... I haven't seen any live theatre in YEARS. :-( RE transformers: I was initially upset that the director changed Bumblebee's car (Classic Beetle) to a Camaro, but it really wouldn't have worked in this current incarnation of the franchise as anything remotely geeky, I think.

The battle scenes... my god, you have to see the transformers movie while it's still in cinema -- or at least in a home theatre when it's on DVD later!

I think I've got HP out of my system now, too. And when spin-offs and prequels happen, I can wait for the library books to be available. :-)

[eternallion.livejournal.com]

I didn't mind Mad-Eye's death so quick and sudden. It placed in my mind that death could be rampant througout the book. Dobby's death did choke me up, but not to the point of tears...which left me kind of disappointed.

I did kind of like the epilogue. (or apology as I refer to them) It was predictable, but since she has said she isn't going to re-visit the Wizarding world, it closes the door without nixing everyone. This is after all still sort-of a kids story. The book was predicable in a lot of ways...but did have me speculating and re-hashing my speculations. I have to give it kudos for that alone. Not every book makes me care enough to try and predict what is going to happen.

Snape's memories were a really nice touch...its the Malfoys in general I was irked about. I figured that Voldemort would have given up on the lot...killing at least one of them (also then aiding in his own downfall) But, since I have no intention of re-writing the book...I'm happy.

As for the classic-ness of it...I don't know. I know I loved the Narnia series as a child...but I got really bored when reading it again. I would rather read these books to my children than Narnia. (although I gather I'll do both)