DH
Before I read all 23974257 Deathly Hallows posts on my flist (by the way, they should have invented a special tag for it. So I could click a HP tag and see all the posts my friends's made about it. THAT would be nifty!) I think I should write about my immediate reactions, because I'll forget it all soon if I don't.
In general, I liked the book. The first half was simply brilliant, a very good read - much better than the last two books. The second half was intese but too much like I expected.
That said, I've guessed or read somewhere in the fandom almost everything that happens in the book, plot-wise: R.A.B., Snape and Lily, the mirror being important, Neville playing a major part, Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione and Tonks/Remus. The pairings were so, well, predictable and I braced myself for them, so it was ok. I was so sure I would hate the end that my expectations were extremely low, which let me enjoy the book much more. Of course, this doesn't change the fact that I think Harry/Ginny was badly written/portrayed, but at least in this book I finally started to like Ron/Hermione, and Ron finally grew on me. Hermione was brilliant, and was responsible for me actually bursting into tears - not at the end, but when she was talking about her parents moving to Australia and not remembering having a daughter.
I have to get some work done, so I'll be brief now:
- Draco and Narcissa? that was great! But why did people let LUCIUS be after the final battle?! Draco and Narcissa have not done anything to 'tear their souls apart', but Lucius?!
- JKR using dopplegänger and printing German phrases without translation. yay!
- the last chapter was unnecessary. Or it should have been longer, and dealt with more characters - what did Harry and others do for a living? What happened to Luna? George? Charlie? Who raised Ted? I would have preferred if the book had eneded at the end of the battle. Because this chapter was so much like those countless fic endinf we've all read. TRITE!
- It did not seem like Harry was in love with Ginny. I think Rowling is better at describing friendship than love. The worst was that he did not want to talk to her after the battle, but went to talk to his friends instead. It was a bit odd because he was supposedly only keeping away from her because of Voldemort.
- I wanted Hagrid and his brother to die. I don't see the appeal of their characters.
- Deathes of Tonks and Remus were...underwhelming? I was more shocked at Dobby's death than theirs. Maybe because we have not 'seen' them die? But it's sort of..um, fitting that none of the Marauders should survive Voldemort.
- Wormtail's "moment of mercy" was lame and pointless. Seems like JRK did not know where to use it to benefit the plot but had to show him paying Harry back somehow because it was mentioned in interviews.
- The best part, in my opinion, was when the Trio lived in the Grimmauld Place, and Harry first entered Sirius' room. The photos, Lily's letter and KREACHER were brilliant. Actually, house-elves and their storyline was annoying in the previous books but in this one I loved it, especially Kreacher. I understood him, and felt for him.
- Yay for the Trio actually using their magic. I LOVE that they used Accio so much - because DUH that's such a useful charm! I liked how they did more magic while hiding,especially daily things, made it more 'real' somehow. Just one thing - why couldn't Harry make himself not feel the icy water of the lake, or protect him somehow? That's what I'd have done. Nerves and all, I understand, but still.
Have to go now, but there's so much more I could say! The problem is that everyone around has not finished reading yet, so this is the only place I can talk about the book.
eta: haha I just realised that the only 'canon' gay character is Dumbeldore! haha :) (well, some one can also point out that we are not sure about Sirius and Charlie, but that's not the point). Also, it's a bit weird that Grindelwald(=Hitler) is almost redeemed at the end.
I'm surprisingly not sad about the book being the last one. I'm even cheerful, for some reason. Probably because I expected so much less from the DH!
In general, I liked the book. The first half was simply brilliant, a very good read - much better than the last two books. The second half was intese but too much like I expected.
That said, I've guessed or read somewhere in the fandom almost everything that happens in the book, plot-wise: R.A.B., Snape and Lily, the mirror being important, Neville playing a major part, Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione and Tonks/Remus. The pairings were so, well, predictable and I braced myself for them, so it was ok. I was so sure I would hate the end that my expectations were extremely low, which let me enjoy the book much more. Of course, this doesn't change the fact that I think Harry/Ginny was badly written/portrayed, but at least in this book I finally started to like Ron/Hermione, and Ron finally grew on me. Hermione was brilliant, and was responsible for me actually bursting into tears - not at the end, but when she was talking about her parents moving to Australia and not remembering having a daughter.
I have to get some work done, so I'll be brief now:
- Draco and Narcissa? that was great! But why did people let LUCIUS be after the final battle?! Draco and Narcissa have not done anything to 'tear their souls apart', but Lucius?!
- JKR using dopplegänger and printing German phrases without translation. yay!
- the last chapter was unnecessary. Or it should have been longer, and dealt with more characters - what did Harry and others do for a living? What happened to Luna? George? Charlie? Who raised Ted? I would have preferred if the book had eneded at the end of the battle. Because this chapter was so much like those countless fic endinf we've all read. TRITE!
- It did not seem like Harry was in love with Ginny. I think Rowling is better at describing friendship than love. The worst was that he did not want to talk to her after the battle, but went to talk to his friends instead. It was a bit odd because he was supposedly only keeping away from her because of Voldemort.
- I wanted Hagrid and his brother to die. I don't see the appeal of their characters.
- Deathes of Tonks and Remus were...underwhelming? I was more shocked at Dobby's death than theirs. Maybe because we have not 'seen' them die? But it's sort of..um, fitting that none of the Marauders should survive Voldemort.
- Wormtail's "moment of mercy" was lame and pointless. Seems like JRK did not know where to use it to benefit the plot but had to show him paying Harry back somehow because it was mentioned in interviews.
- The best part, in my opinion, was when the Trio lived in the Grimmauld Place, and Harry first entered Sirius' room. The photos, Lily's letter and KREACHER were brilliant. Actually, house-elves and their storyline was annoying in the previous books but in this one I loved it, especially Kreacher. I understood him, and felt for him.
- Yay for the Trio actually using their magic. I LOVE that they used Accio so much - because DUH that's such a useful charm! I liked how they did more magic while hiding,especially daily things, made it more 'real' somehow. Just one thing - why couldn't Harry make himself not feel the icy water of the lake, or protect him somehow? That's what I'd have done. Nerves and all, I understand, but still.
Have to go now, but there's so much more I could say! The problem is that everyone around has not finished reading yet, so this is the only place I can talk about the book.
eta: haha I just realised that the only 'canon' gay character is Dumbeldore! haha :) (well, some one can also point out that we are not sure about Sirius and Charlie, but that's not the point). Also, it's a bit weird that Grindelwald(=Hitler) is almost redeemed at the end.
I'm surprisingly not sad about the book being the last one. I'm even cheerful, for some reason. Probably because I expected so much less from the DH!