My DH reading experience
Long thingy about DH. Should have posted this monday, but I couldn't get into LJ.
I commented each chapter as I read. This is not a coherent review or anything, just my likes and dislikes. And there was much to love in the book; all in all I'm quite satisfied, except for a few things and that strange excerpt from ff.net at the end.
Now to - Deathly Hallows - the reading experience
1. The Dark Lord Ascending
When Sister H cried "Shit!" from the kitchen as we started reading I knew where she was. My hopes fell, I must admit and we tried to comfort each other (as we're rooting for Good!Snape) with repetitions of "it doesn’t mean anything, really". And when we finally get to know the name of another professor at Hogwarts, she dies.
Loved Lucius' white peacock on the hedge. My vain, vain darling. (TB has always said that the Malfoys are vulgar and flashy and typically "new money".) Also loved broken Lucius, stoic Narcissa and scared witless!Draco.
Best: "Dinner, Nagini."
Didn't love Lord Snarky making fun of the Remus/Tonks marriage. It seemed kind of stupid and childish and hey, we already know he's evil, I suppose it was to underline his general evilness it's rather less scary when he behaves like a schoolyard bully.
2. In Memoriam
Loved: Fanboy Elphias and I've always had a soft spot for Aberforth and his goats. It was fun to know more about Dumbledore's family. Also liked evil, evil Rita (she's so bad she's hilarious) and I wondered in my mind how many fanfics the "unnatural relationship" comment will spawn". None of mine, I'm no fan of the Dumbledore/Harry ship.
3. Dursleys Departing
Loved Dudley's limited attempts to reconcile. Liked Vernon's snark, which was fun and not boring this time. And lo and behold: Dudley's not fat now, he's "muscular", which explains why he isn’t evil anymore since fat=evil in all the books. And how many fanfics haven't we read where Dudley realizes that Harry saved his life?
4. The 7 Potters
Loved: Fleur's facial expression and the "I look 'ideous" comment. The Polyjuiced Harry's (major genderbending there) Also a little fanfic moment!
Hedwig *cries* sudden and sad and the Firebolt lost
Lord V flying - cool
5. Fallen Warrior
Snape is truly evil (nooo!) or the ear-cutting Sectumsempra was a clever ruse.
I didn’t like the notion of Harry's "signature" Expelliarmus. Isn't that a fairly common spell? It shouldn’t have been enough for the DE's to recognize him as the real one.
Should have guessed that Lord Voldemort wanted Ollivander for the wand brothers thing. I'm so slow…
Loved that Ron got to show off for once.
But Lupin is a bit strange and OC in this chapter.
6. The Ghoul in Pyjamas
Loved: the transfigured Ghoul and the word Spattergroit, it's brilliant. Finding out about Fidelius magic. Arthur hiding the broken motorcycle from Molly in the chicken coop. Hermione's formidable skills (modifying her parents' memories) and bringing Hogwarts - a History along.
Remorse must be the key somewhere, but will Voldemort ever feel it? *Twilight zone music*
7. The Will of AD
Gregorowitch - I remembered (sometimes reading all the books a zillion times has its rewards)
Ginny and Harry - boring (cause I'm a slasher at heart)
Loved: Ron's ranting over Harry and Ginny (another very fanficky moment) Molly force-cutting Charlies hair. The Snitch cake. Norberta! Laughed a lot at that. And the fact that Hagrid always liked Charlie. The order's Patronus communication (have that been mentioned before, I can't remember. It must have since I've been seeing it in fics for a long time)
I want to read the stories of Beedle the Bard! Best: Rabbity Babbity and her Cackling Stump.
Scrimgeour - very unpleasant (I was surprised, but maybe only because I've read too many fics where he's nice)
8. The Wedding
In how many fics have the DE's attacked during Bill's and Fleur's wedding? Just asking.
Elphias is a bit of a wet blanket, isn't he? I loved the snarky Aunt Muriel. Fred and Greorge disappearing with the veela cousins. Victor "what use is it to be a famous Quidditch player when I can't get any girls". Xenophilius, Luna and the Gernumbli saliva! Loved that Luna recognized polyjuiced Harry. Charlie and Hagrid drunk and singing.
9. A Place to Hide
Great: Hermione's handbag!
WTF: She says "I've never done a memory charm." What about her parent's memories?
The Ghost-Horror Dumbledore was cool. And poor Draco, Harry seems to see it too, which warms my slashy H/D heart.
I forgot about The Trace - cool and good to finally know about that.
10. Kreacher's Tale
RAB - didn’t we all know it was Regulus!
Kreacher gets a little love too. And we finally got to hear the poison and locket-switching story. Cutest so far: Harry on the toy broom. Loved Sirius' centerfolds and motorbike manuals.
11. The Bribe
Go Kreacher! Otherwise a sad chapter with Remus behaving strangely (for a while I thought he was Polyjuiced Snape) and that scary Umbridge. And all in all I liked the Voldemort wins-scenario with both the Ministry and Hogwarts under his control.
12. Magic is Might
Umbridge finally gets the real inquisition of her dreams. Loves Kreacher in this chapter, with his "ear-hair like cotton", house-cleaning skills and "Shoes off, if you please Master Harry, and wash hands before dinner."
13. The Muggle-Born Registration Commission
Sad to see Mad-Eye's eye. (So he's really dead then.) This was one of the nastiest chapters with back-stabbing Ministry employees and Muggleborn trials/summary executions. Loved when the trio wrecks havoc at the ministry (a very fanficky moment there too) Umbridge's happy cat patronus.
14. The Thief
Who is the good-looking thief? And what about Kreacher? Did they really leave him to get tortured by random DE's? Horcrux-wearing is apparently dangerous and Ron getting strange (affected by the Horcrux I suppose). The Horcrux-Hidden-in-orphanage theory shot to hell (but why should it be there, really.)
15. The Goblin's Revenge
Cool conversation between Ted, Dean and Goblins. Griphook. I found the trio interactions and extremely cranky Ron a bit boring in this chapter. Cool blindfolding spell for portraits (great smut potential there…oh, brain shut up) And Ron, Ron, just when I started to be proud of you…
16. Godrick's Hollow
Sweet moment on the graveyard. The war memorial - very cool. Mystery: The very strange epitaph on the Potter grave and the symbol on Ignomius' grave. Must be important.
17. Bathilda's Secret
Cool: Nagini's hiding place inside Bathilda Bagshot (a little gross, though) The Photograph of the Thief. Loved reading the story of LV in Godric's Hollow.
18. The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore
Albus and Gellert (ooo slashy! Wonder how long it takes for a zillion communities cropping up) Both the name Nuremberg Nurmengard and Grindelwalds motto "For the Greater Good" sounds a little WW2 Nazi too me. Did Dumbledore's sister see something she shouldn’t… (aw, forgive an old slasher…) and did Grindelwald kill her?
19. The Silver Doe
Loved: the Doe and Ron's "are you mental?" and the whole chapter had a fairy-tale quality. Who's patronus though? Snapes? I can only hope…. But still, he had access to the sword.
Loved when Hermonie lost it. And I loved Ron after this chapter, finally getting to do something important, like destroying a Horcrux.
20. Xenophilius Lovegood
Loved the Snorkack horn and Xeno's insisting that it's real. Laugh: Gurdyroot Infusion!
21. The Tale of the Three Brothers
I loved the story and Luna's pictures of her friends were heart-wrenching
22. The Deathly Hallows
When Harry gets obsessed and Hermione thinks he's mental gets a bit boring after a while. Hermione shouldn’t be so close-minded; after all she's living in a completely scientifically impossible reality. Fun fact: Harry and Voldemort are related (through the Peverell brothers).
Loved the Potterwatch radio immensely. "I don't want to be Rodent, I want to be Rapier"
23. Malfoy Manor
Interesting that only the Inner Circle has the Dark Mark, and that Greyback isn’t trusted (why should he be, since he's a werewolf -lower status in DE-land). It felt so good that Draco didn’t really want to reveal the trio. Wormtail pays his life-debt finally.
24. The Wandmaker
Dobby! Loved: Here lies a free elf (so sad and so fine), Harry in this chapter. Hermione's Mudblood Pride speech. Harry has grabbed Draco's wand (which feels friendly) and how's that for innuendo and wand-puns. The Deathstick feels a bit lame as a name.
25. Shell Cottage
Harry the Godfather! Liked Bill's Goblin insights (maybe because I want to read more about Bill's work as a curse-breaker.)
26. Gringotts
Hermione as Bellatrix! Cool: The Flagrante and Gemino Curses. What Diagon Alley had become was so sad, but I loved the Dragon escape and that the Trio got the chance to wreck havoc onto yet another pillar of Wizarding society.
27. The Final Hiding Place
Why are they talking about the Last Horcrux since there should be seven and there are only six mentioned:
Tom Riddle's Diary (Destroyed by Harry/Basilisk fang)
The Ring (Destroyed by Dumbledore/Sword)
The Locket (Destroyed by Ron/Sword)
The Hufflepuff Cup
The unknown Horcrux at Hogwarts
Nagini?
I liked Voldemort's ranting and insecurities in the chapter.
28. The Missing Mirror
Catervauling Charm! Aberforths patronus!
"It's a goat, idiot!"
And finally we got to know more about the Dumbledore family.
29. The Lost Diadem
Neville, cool, Neville - the kick-ass leader at Hogwarts. And here came something that upset me more than anything else: the missing Slytherin banner in the Room of Requirement. Why are no Slytherin's escaping? I think it's sad that Slytherin is made out to be the "evil" house. Why have it at all if that's all it means? It's nothing new, of course. Still, sad. I had hoped for a more balanced view of the houses.
30. The Sacking of Severus Snape
Go McGonagall! *loves her* Loved the Marching statues and suits of armour. A bit strange is that she doesn’t even comment Harry putting Crucio on Carrow for insulting her. It was a bit nasty to spit on her, but still, it's not called an unforgivable for nothing. But maybe that seemed like a just dessert for torturing students in detention. Coolest: Snape flying away like a bat.
31. The Battle of Hogwarts
Ron and Hermione in the Chamber. Ron's Parseltongue ability was a bit strange - if it just was imitating the sounds… Made me think about further Parselsmut in their future. The Kiss was great, though, slasher though I am, I'm a bit partial to Ron/Hermione anyway. Harry's saving of Malfoy and Goyle, especially Harry and Malfoy on the same broom, and that he turned back to get him warmed my little H/D heart. The Fiendfyre was very cool and the nasty Crabbe destroying the Horcrux was a nice touch. (Well, he's always described as fat, so therefore he must be evil…)
Loved Percy "Did I mention I'm resigning?"
But Fred, Fred, I really hoped the twins were going to survive.
32. The Elder Wand
Loved that Lucius cared only about Draco. But when Draco turned to the invisible trio and beamed when he was saved yet again, I loved the little turncoat. Neville is the coolest ever. Another cool thing was Trelawney throwing her crystal balls. Tennis! And Hagrid trying to save the spiders.
Also loved Hermione's "Are you a wizard or what?"
Tonk's and Remus' deaths seemed unnecessary. Like a good werewolf should be a dead werewolf, just like any good Slytherin. Didn’t like that. It seemed like a cop-out. And Tonks loved Remus, so let's kill her too.
Snape, Snape, SNAPE! I don't want him to die! *writes fic where Snape lives*
"Look at Me".
33. The Prince's Tale
I thought the Gargoyle at Dumbledores entrance was broken, but I might have imagined that since I can't find it again. Snape in love with Lily wasn't really a surprise after all the speculating in fandom. Everyone had already guessed that he asked Voldemort to spare her ("step aside girl").The playground was another fanficky moment. And James as the spoiled kid (like Draco).
Dumbledore and Snape *victory dance* but like almost everyone else I thought it was the poison, not the curse that killed Dumbledore.
"Would you like me to do it now, or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph." Snape I love you!
Harry is a Horcrux. Harry is a Horcrux.
And Snape's "look at me" is far more understandable now.
34. The Forest Again
Loved Harry's incredible bravery and the dead coming to help. Not so much the Ginny/Harry thing.
35. King's Cross
Totally random thought: Why did Harry have to be naked when he woke up? The wailing thing, was that the part of Voldemort lodged in Harry? I'm tired, and I have to re-read to really get it. Now I got what Dumbledore saw in the Mirror of Erised. And:
"Of course it is happening inside your head, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?"
36. The Flaw in the Plan
Bellatrix spoke to Voldemort "as if to a lover". Didn’t we know it all along!
Love Narcissa (soft hands and saving Harry) and Hero!Neville who's really brave and gets to kill Nagini with the Gryffindor sword. Noted that both his parent's were Aurors. The House-elves and Kreacher fighting. Formidable Molly. Loves also that Harry calls Voldemort Tom and Riddle and is redeeming Snape as a hero in front of everyone. "Be a Man". Love Peeves at the end.
And poor Phineas trying to make a case for Slytherin, but it just sounds like bragging.
And then we can forget all about the epilogue, can't we? As for me, let's just say that "I fart in its general direction."
I hope there will be lots of fics where the epilogue never happened, though I can see lost of frustrated H/D slashers writing Albus/Scorpius, but it's really not the same. I've been a real stickler for canon, but from now on I would like people to mention in the summary if they are going to follow the epilogue-verse or not.
Sister
choklid, who's wiser than I, said that she got why JKR wrote the epilogue. We've had our say about the future for years with post-war, post-Hogwarts futures for everyone, so why shouldn't the creator of it all have her say?