I liked it. More than I thought I would. I really haven't liked the last few books AT ALL, so I wasn't expecting much from this one. But it was actually quite enjoyable. There were still some parts that made me cringe (the endless camping, Ron being a prat AGAIN, and some of the nonsensical decisions that the characters always seem to make). But, overall, I was rather impressed.
I loved that she started off right away with some very well-done action and suspense. As soon as she killed Hedwig, I knew it was going to get ugly. That was like a perfect warning shot across the bow. "See? I am not afraid to kill the bird. Grab your Kleenex, because Bad Shit is going to go down."
The scene at the Burrow when Harry and Hagrid and Molly are waiting for the rest of the decoys to get back was simply harrowing and very well done. RIP Mad-Eye, you will be sorely missed.
As soon as I stopped squeeing over Tonks being pregnant, I started to get scared for Remus. And then when he asked Harry to be godfather, I knew he and Tonks were totally toast. WOE.
One of the things that surprised me the most was how broken up I got over Dobby's death. I mean, I don't even like Dobby, but it was perfectly handled--emotionally understated but powerful.
And I know a lot of people were pissed about the off-hand way Remus and Tonks' deaths were handled, but on further reflection I'm kind of glad it happened like that. Given that there is so much death in this book, and that it's all kind of sad to begin with because we know it's the last one and we're saying goodbye as we read, I sort of appreciate that the death she lingers over the most is Dobby, a character most of us aren't particularly attached to. If she'd given Remus and Tonks a big dramatic death scene I think I would have seriously lost my shit. I mean, they're basically the two characters I love the most and I was frankly upset enough without dwelling on it any more.
The Battle of Hogwarts is made of win. I loved that almost all my favorite characters got a chance to pull out a case of whoop-ass. Poor, poor Fred, though.
A random list of things that moved me:
- Dudley actually being kind of sweet to Harry
- Hermione's revelation about sending her parents away and erasing their memories of her. That is, I think, one of the saddest and most impressive sacrifices in the whole book, and the way Hermione kind of breezes over it makes my heart ache even more.
- The picture on Luna's bedroom ceiling with "Friends Friends Friends" written all over it, and when they realized she had been taken.
- The sign at Godric's Hollow with the handwritten messages of support for Harry
- Harry pulling out the Unforgivable Curse because Carrow *spat* at McGonagall
- Percy finally reconciling with the Weasleys
- Snape wanting to look into Harry's (Lily's) eyes as he died
- Narcissa protecting Harry in exchange for word of Draco
- Every single moment of Neville (which were too few for my taste)
And although I thought the epilogue was incredibly uninspired and pointless (and only there so Rowling could name everyone's kids before the fanfic writers got a whack at it), when Harry tells Albus that he's named for two Hogwart's headmasters I got all choked up. Because I am a total Snape fangirl. Yes, Albus Severus is an unfortunate name for a kid, but I was too busy sobbing to care.
But the last paragraph was totally lame. LAME.
I loved that she started off right away with some very well-done action and suspense. As soon as she killed Hedwig, I knew it was going to get ugly. That was like a perfect warning shot across the bow. "See? I am not afraid to kill the bird. Grab your Kleenex, because Bad Shit is going to go down."
The scene at the Burrow when Harry and Hagrid and Molly are waiting for the rest of the decoys to get back was simply harrowing and very well done. RIP Mad-Eye, you will be sorely missed.
As soon as I stopped squeeing over Tonks being pregnant, I started to get scared for Remus. And then when he asked Harry to be godfather, I knew he and Tonks were totally toast. WOE.
One of the things that surprised me the most was how broken up I got over Dobby's death. I mean, I don't even like Dobby, but it was perfectly handled--emotionally understated but powerful.
And I know a lot of people were pissed about the off-hand way Remus and Tonks' deaths were handled, but on further reflection I'm kind of glad it happened like that. Given that there is so much death in this book, and that it's all kind of sad to begin with because we know it's the last one and we're saying goodbye as we read, I sort of appreciate that the death she lingers over the most is Dobby, a character most of us aren't particularly attached to. If she'd given Remus and Tonks a big dramatic death scene I think I would have seriously lost my shit. I mean, they're basically the two characters I love the most and I was frankly upset enough without dwelling on it any more.
The Battle of Hogwarts is made of win. I loved that almost all my favorite characters got a chance to pull out a case of whoop-ass. Poor, poor Fred, though.
A random list of things that moved me:
- Dudley actually being kind of sweet to Harry
- Hermione's revelation about sending her parents away and erasing their memories of her. That is, I think, one of the saddest and most impressive sacrifices in the whole book, and the way Hermione kind of breezes over it makes my heart ache even more.
- The picture on Luna's bedroom ceiling with "Friends Friends Friends" written all over it, and when they realized she had been taken.
- The sign at Godric's Hollow with the handwritten messages of support for Harry
- Harry pulling out the Unforgivable Curse because Carrow *spat* at McGonagall
- Percy finally reconciling with the Weasleys
- Snape wanting to look into Harry's (Lily's) eyes as he died
- Narcissa protecting Harry in exchange for word of Draco
- Every single moment of Neville (which were too few for my taste)
And although I thought the epilogue was incredibly uninspired and pointless (and only there so Rowling could name everyone's kids before the fanfic writers got a whack at it), when Harry tells Albus that he's named for two Hogwart's headmasters I got all choked up. Because I am a total Snape fangirl. Yes, Albus Severus is an unfortunate name for a kid, but I was too busy sobbing to care.
But the last paragraph was totally lame. LAME.
Comments
I did spend a lot of scenes imagining how awesome this book is going to be on film. Assuming they streamline a lot of the camping bits. In fact, I'd just as soon they took out the entire part where Ron leaves and then comes back. I just feel like we've already done that enough in other books.
And when Carrow spit at McG I audibly gasped. And was really very glad that Harry pulled out an Unforgivable.
The whole section at the Lovegoods' was so interesting and then when Harry realized that Luna wasn't there, the shift in mood was very palpable to me. Her bedroom was so happy and airy, like her, but Harry's realization of her absence was just kinda dark.
I think I agree with you on the Remus and Tonks front. I posted in my own journal that at first I was pissed that we don't know how Remus died, but it would probably be too much. I knew the spoiler about them dying and really wanted to know what happened but the fact that he comes back with the Marauders if very fitting and Tonks is honoured through those additional mentions of them and of Teddy.
I totally would have lost my shit if they showed him dying. Cause he's completely my favorite. And I maintain, as a Remus/Sirius fangirl that it still could be canon. :)
The end was total fanfic, and I wish she would have said what they were doing with their lives other than having kids.
Thanks for letting me use your entry to work out my thoughts on the book. ;)
I'm assuming that was Bill and Fleur's daughter he was snogging.
If anyone is interested in a snarky but amusing play by play- http://mightygodking.livejournal.com/345287.html
I believe the deal with the sword is that in moments of dire need a Gryffindor can pull the sword out of the sorting hat (also a relic of Godric Gryffindor), as Harry did in Chamber of Secrets. Which means there's probably a seriously pissed off goblin out there wondering where his sword went.
I kind of love that we can go back to previous books for things like the sword--I immediately went back to Half-Blood Prince trying to figure out wand custody, for example. And I admit I'm thrilled that my insistence that Neville be heavily involved in bringing down Voldemort played out. In addition to Sus' list, I think the continued stream of people (largely Gryffindors and Order members) back to Hogwarts to fight made me mistiest--Harry ntoed that Hogwarts was really the best home to the lost boys, and the gathering really underlined that Harry had a large, loyal, and loving constructed family in the end.
And while I agree with y'all that I didn't necessarily need to know the details or the immediate aftermath of the deaths, I was frustrated with skipping straight from that to the epilogue. George didn't just lose a brother, he lost a twin--what does that mean for him? Teddy Lupin must turn out largely okay, but how does an orphan who had a mediocre godfather (good guy, kind of twisted godfather) become godfather himself to a child who lost his parents in similar circumstances? I could have done with less camping and more of that. Still--enjoyable.
Seriously, though. Harry as a leader? WTF? Hermione told him what to do almost 100% of the time, and Neville (who led a resistance, and was tortured, and found a way to evacuate those in danger, and who was generally inspiring) was WAY more of a leader. I was rooting for Harry to really die, and for Neville to get down to the serious business of actually stopping Voldemort. Maybe with a handgun. That would have been hi-larious. "You cannot stop me with that puny wand, Longbottom!" *BLAM* *THUD*
But you know, I always thought Aragorn was the guy I would frag and Faramir was the one I would get up and follow out of the foxhole, so what do I know? :)
--Dave