Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Whew, well I wanted a day to digest and reread parts of it. I can't believe the series is over. But overall, I'm in the boat of fans that loved the book. The entire time I was reading it, it just felt like all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place - because they were and JKR had been setting up the pieces for 17 years... Where to even begin???
DEATHLY HALLOWS
I'm so glad that they were actual objects, but not the ones that everyone was speculating them to be (aka, the Horcruxes). The Tale of the Three Brothers just blew my mind. And it made my heart glad that there WAS a way to defeat Voldemort without Harry having to cast Avada Kedavra - Because as we've been told, killing someone does something to your soul and I wanted Harry to have a happy, whole soul in the end.
THE DEATHS
Pretty much SOBBED with every single death. Starting with Hedwig straight through to Fred. I was really hoping Mad-Eye would pop back up, showing how he's a tough, old Auror but alas, his eyeball in the Ministry sealed that off for me. OMG, and Dobby??? CRIED AND CRIED. Not because I was a huge fan of Dobby, but for what he did for Harry and Harry's reaction to his death. The fact that Harry dug Dobby's grave without magic was heart wrenching. "HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF" made me sob some more. Wormtails death was, to me, a little anticlimatic, but I think it illustrated Harry's goodness because he immediately tried to stop Wormtail's hand. Fred! Why, oh why! I mean, I knew that the Weasley family was too big and there really wasn't a way for them to come out completely whole but it still hurt TERRIBLY. As did the deaths of Lupin and Tonks... Ugh, I can't even dwell on Lupin and Tonks right now, it's just too sad.
SNAPE
I have to admit that I had heard the whole "Snape loves Lily" predictions but I wasn't a fan of them (for obvious reasons). It still upsets me that Snape couldn't let go of his hatred for James yet carried a torch for Lily for so long. But seeing his memories in the Pensieve was beautiful, especially his Patronus and "Always." I definitely cried at that. I almost wish he could have died in a more heroic manner but alas... I'm still a little miffed about Albus Severus (the Albus part I get, but really??? Severus?), but I guess I'll get over that.
GINNY
Her present to Harry? OMG, I wanted to SMACK Ron when he interrupted them! But she definitely gave Harry something to remember her by and something to remind him of what he was fighting for. The scenes where Harry would watch the Marauder's Map just to look at Ginny's dot were both beautiful and heartbreaking. I like how we get little snippets of her throughout the book, even if we don't get to see more of her. And the fact that she was the LAST thing he thought of as he was getting "killed"? I sobbed and sobbed. I wish we could have seen their reunion, but I thought it was beautiful how JKR wrote: "There would be time to talk later, hours and days and maybe years in which to talk." It just paralleled what he said to her at Dumbledore's funeral wonderfully. And after all, I got the one thing I really wished for in the end. Harry and Ginny and their happy ending.
NEVILLE AND LUNA
Good for them and Ginny leading the DA and causing trouble! Luna's bedroom was so incredibly beautiful, I could just picture it in my mind. And Neville was finally, finally the hero!!! And his grandmum was so proud of him =D He stood up to Voldemort, and he's a true Gryffindor since he managed to call forth the sword and take out Nagini. And Professor! Oh, I'm so proud of him!
THE TRIO
OMG, so much Trio love throughout the entire book! Ron and Hermione! We've been waiting years for this to happen! And Hermione really is the cleverest witch in her year. Beaded handbag of AWESOME. I mean, seriously. Yes, Ron was jerk for leaving like he did, but it was really necessary in his process of growing up and growing more mature. And well, Dumbledore was expecting this and he guided Ron well. And Ron came back! Saved Harry! Pulled the sword out of the lake! And snarky Hermione after Ron returned! Loved it. And I loved that JKR settled the score regarding the whole "love triangle."
"She's like my sister," he [Harry] went on. "I love her like a sister and I reckon she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that. I thought you knew."
Gah! And Ron pounding on the door when they're in the dungeon of Malfoy Manor, as Hermione was being tortured - that was painful and heart breaking and ohmigoodness. Of course, the kiss! Hermione and Ron throwing down the basilisk's fangs and going at it! "OI! There's a war going on here!"
And Harry. Oh, Harry. He's sincere and insecure and doubtful of his abilities, but he's a leader and strong and the hope of the Wizarding world. He's brash and gets angry but he cares and loves everyone so much that he was willing to die for them. He is, in short, perfect. Harry, I love you. That's all there really is to say.
THE FOREST AND KING'S CROSS
Needless to say, I was sobbing during these two chapters. I open at the close. Harry accepting his fate, that he must be killed by Voldemort. Using the Resurrection Stone to call forth Lily, James, Sirius and Lupin. Harry's last thought about Ginny. Seeing Dumbledore again and their talk. Dumbledore asking his forgiveness. Harry truly being worthy and master of the Deathly Hallows. His choices. So much about those two chapters, I absolutly loved.
THIS AND THAT
Arthur's Patronus was a weasel. Loved it.
Potterwatch. Heck yeah.
Molly taking out Bellatrix. "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Kick ass doesn't even begin to describe it; we know that Ginny's a powerful witch, obviously we see where she gets it from! And it was so nice to finally see Mrs. Weasly IN ACTION.
And hell yeah, I CANNOT WAIT to see HBP and DH on the big screen. The HP actors are going to have such amazing stuff to work with!
There's so much more about the book I want to talk about. I'm not a huge fan of the Epilogue. I wish we got some sort of resolution regarding a lot of things: Fred's death, what happened to Teddy Lupin, how the Weasleys' coped, whether the Malfoys got their just desserts, do Luna and Dean end up together?, what are their jobs?, what was Harry and Ginny's reunion like?, did Kingley remain Minister of Magic?, I could go on and on. But I know there's going to be fabulous fanfiction to fill the imagination and the gaps. And, well, Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione - they get their happy ending. And that's perfectly lovely to me.
Deathly Hallows release!
