Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I promised myself I would write a detailed review of the book, cause there are so many things I wanna say about it, but I’m having a hard time finding the exact words to describe how I feel.
Anyway, here it is.
I guess I’ll start by saying that I LOVED it. I thought it was amazing, gripping, powerful, and really, really emotional. There are things that I don’t like about JKR’s writing, obviously, but I’d be lying if I said she isn’t good. Cause she is. She’s AMAZING.
I do believe she let herself get too involved in the shipping wars, too influenced by the fans. But when you think about it, this story wasn’t about romance, it was about Harry’s journey, and the friendships he made in between. Love was always mentioned to be a crucial matter throughout the series, however, many of us thought this concept of love referred to “romantic love”, when, as we could see in DH, it was more about the power of friendship and family. And that is why, even if I don’t agree with the final pairings, even if I think JKR’s idea of romance is completely shallow and childish, it doesn’t matter, cause these books are so much more than that.
Things I loved:
* All the characters that were in it. Practically everyone came back. Even Oliver Wood! It kinda felt like Harry Potter: The Reunion. Dear Mr. David Heyman: I wanna see Sean Biggerstaff in the 7th movie. Thank you.
* The intensity of the story. This was probably the most action-packed book of the series. It was also an emotional rollercoaster, from beginning to end.
* The constant fear of getting caught, of not having enough time to find the horcruxes and destroy them, of not knowing where to go, who was reliable and who was not. All the suspense was awesome.
* The bad guys were actually menacing and knew what they were doing. Good for them!
* All the different settings that Jo explored. That’s one of the reasons why this book was so cool, the trio kept moving around, visiting places that had been mentioned before (but we’d never seen), some that were completely new to us, and some that we already knew very well.
* How important was DD’s role in this book. Knowing about his family, his motivations, his strange relationship with Grindelwald. Every single thing about DD’s past was fascinating.
Things I didn’t like:
* I wanted more Snape. I liked his chapter, it was enlightening, and it was nice to know why DD trusted him so much. I still felt like he could’ve played a bigger role in this book, though. Especially in the battle. But I guess he had to die for everything else to unfold. Kinda predictable that he loved Lily, but a good resolution to his story.
* There were some inconsistencies with canon. Jo changed how the Fidelius Charm worked in this book. And Hermione apparently erased her parents’ memory but was expecting to fix them later? I didn’t think that was possible. And then she said she’d never Obliviated anyone before. Maybe she Obliviated herself and forgot she performed the Memory Charm on her parents?
* Hermione JEAN Granger? ‘Nuff said.
* The Deathly Hallows were interesting and all, but I don’t understand what was exactly the point of mentioning them? Cause, apart from the Elder Wand, the other two didn’t really add anything to the story. They only distracted Harry-boy from his main objective. But it’s cool. I’m not complaining.
* Ginny. Dear God. I thought Jo would develop her character a little bit more, but no, she was still useless and invisible in this book. Which, now that I think about it, was not a bad thing at all.
* The Crapilogue from Hell. Stupid, pointless, should’ve been re-written. I wanted to know about the aftermath of Voldy’s fall. How did it affect the Wizarding world. How did it affect the muggles. If Harry became an Auror. If Hermione continued S.P.E.W. If Ron ever grew up and learned how to treat women without needing a book to guide him. I wanted to know about Luna, about George, about Neville. Who cares about Teddy Lupin? Basically, I wanted to know what everyone was doing, not WHO they were doing.
Favorite characters:
Luna. She was so freaking AWESOME! I loved how she distracted everyone so Harry could get to Ron and Hermione in the end. Every scene with Luna was just great.
Lupin was, as always, amazing. Loved his interaction with Harry. Too bad he had to die. :(
The twins were hilarious and SO cool. FRED. :(
Kreacher, really didn’t expect him to become Dobby v.2.0. But that was sweet.
Dobby. :( He saved their asses. That whole chapter was awesome.
McGonagall. I always loved her, but in this one she was even more cool.
NEVILLE. Talk about great character development. He became the freaking leader of the resistance. And he killed the snake! *kisses Neville´s feet*
About the trio: I loved their interaction. Their unbreakable bond. How, at the end of the day, Harry wanted to see Ron and Hermione. No one else.
Ron:
He was great saving Harry’s life, but he also behaved like a baby. And no, it wasn’t cause he was wearing the locket. It’s like there’s always an excuse when it comes to him: He treats Hermione like shit, but that’s because he’s “struggling with his feelings” and he doesn’t have the “Magic Guide to Charming the Ladies” or whatever; he leaves Harry and Hermione in the middle of a war, but that’s because the horcrux was affecting him the most. NO, the truth is, he needs to grow up. He showed some great character development, but he also acted like a total idiot. I hope they keep his fight with Harry (right before he leaves them) in the movie, I think Rupert and Dan would totally rock that.
Hermione:
What can I say, I looooved her. She kicked ass. I think she spent half the book crying, but she saved the trio from dying or getting caught like 359235 times. She was always looking out for the boys. Trying to protect them. She ROCKS. And I don’t know why, but when they captured them I was kinda hoping she’d say her name was “Regina Phalange”, lol. No, but seriously, how awesome was she? It was PAINFUL to read when Bellatrix was torturing her. :( I wanted it to stop. Seriously. And I loved how she kept reminding Harry that DD loved him. And how DD told Harry that he counted on Hermione to slow him up, so that his head wouldn’t dominate his heart. Without her, Harry would’ve been lost. Even DD knew it.
Harry:
It’s impossible not to love these books when they tell the story of such an amazing character like Harry. Seriously. Above all, above the relationships, the good, the evil, the magic, the quest, above all those things, lies the heart of it all: The boy who lived.
I don’t think it could be possible for me to love Harry more. Especially after DH. And not because he’s the chosen one, the “hero”, but because, after all, he’s human. He loves, he laughs, he cries, he makes mistakes. I loved reading how he was afraid, afraid to fail, afraid that people would be dying because of him, and how he would disappoint them. I loved how he screwed up (when he said Voldemort’s name I LMAO), how he argued with Ron, with Hermione, with Lupin. How he didn’t know what to do, where to go, who to trust. And still, he never stopped fighting. It may sound corny, but this is a boy who suffered all his life, and yet, he was willing to keep suffering, to DIE, just to make things right. And THAT’s why, Harry >>>>> all.
RHr/HG:
I really wanted to accept these couples, because I knew they would happen. But this book didn’t do anything to make me like them.
The bickering between RHr was still annoying. I loved this: Unable to stand the bickering, Harry slipped out of the room unnoticed by either of them. LMAO. Anyway, their “moments” consisted of Ron complimenting Hermione, comforting her, or treating her with some respect. In other words, acting more like Harry, lol. So Ron treats her like crap for 6 years, and now that he starts being a little decent to her we’re supposed to believe he’s the right guy for her? Nope, I can’t accept that.
And HG have no depth. Nothing. I think I was more invested in Harry/Hedwig than Harry/Ginny. Jo didn’t even try to develop their relationship in this book. With RHr, she tried too hard. And with HG, she didn’t try enough.
Harry/Hermione:
I could hate Jo for giving us OBHWF in the end, but I can’t. Why? Because she still showed HHr’s amazing bond in this book. There were SO many moments between them, I honestly didn’t expect to get so much. They held hands, hugged, laughed together, cried together, KICKED ASS...it was like OotP all over again. Everything about HHr that I love, was in this book.
I don’t even care that she used them as a catalyst for RHr. I knew she would have to diminish HHr’s bond in order for RHr to work. I even found Ron’s sudden jealousy of HHr kinda funny, actually. Three different books, three different people (Krum, Cho, Ron) that think HHr had something going on. It makes you think, actually. The evil!kiss! was stupid. But if the producers give us that scene, we’ll be able to see Dan and Emma kiss on screen. And I can’t even explain how awesome that would be. Dear Mr. David Heyman: Dan and Emma have a HUGE fanbase. Just sayin’.
And Harry using the “S” word, saying she’s like a sister to him, was something that didn’t bother me because Ron had saved his life, he was crying, and Harry really wanted to make him feel better. After all, Ron’s his best friend. So it makes sense he would say something like that to reassure him. The truth is, Harry and Hermione share a unique, incredibly powerful bond that’ll always be there. A bond that, in real life, could definitely develop into something more. To me, they are the only couple that would’ve made sense in the end, but if JKR didn’t want them together, there’s nothing I can do about it. And, to be honest, she sucks at writing romance, so I’m glad she stayed away from them.
My 3 favorite scenes:
* This was a small HHr moment, but I loved it:
She hesitated, but recognized the dismissal. She picked up the book and then walked back past him into the tent, but as she did so, she brushed the top of his head lightly with her hand. He closed his eyes at her touch, and hated himself for wishing that what she said was true: that Dumbledore really cared.
* I loved when Harry saw his parents, Sirius and Lupin at the forest, and asked them to stay with him as he approached Voldemort, waiting to sacrifice himself. I was bawling throughout that entire chapter.
“You’ll stay with me?”
“Until the very end,” said James.
* The graveyard scene. This was probably one of the most important moments for Harry in the entire series, and Jo chose to make it a HHr moment. Probably my favorite scene in all the books. How they held each other, how Hermione read his mind and conjured the wreath of roses for him. THIS is why I love Harry and Hermione:
But they were not living, thought Harry: They were gone. The empty words could not disguise the fact that his parents' mouldering remains lay beneath snow and stone, indifferent, unknowing. And tears came before he could stop them, boiling hot then instantly freezing on his face, and what was the point in wiping them off or pretending? He let them fall, his lips pressed hard together, looking down at the thick snow hiding from his eyes the place where the last of Lily and James lay, bones now, surely, or dust, not knowing or caring that their living son stood so near, his heart still beating, alive because of their sacrifice and close to wishing, at this moment that he was sleeping under the snow with them.
Hermione had taken his hand again and was gripping it tightly. He could not look at her, but returned the pressure, now taking deep, sharp gulps of night air, trying to steady himself, trying to regain control. He should have brought something to give them, and he had not thought of it, and every plant in the graveyard was leafless and frozen. But Hermione raised her wand, moved it in a circle through the air, and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before them. Harry caught it and laid it on his parents' grave.
As soon as he stood up he wanted to leave: He did not think he could stand another moment there. He put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, and she put hers around his waist, and they turned in silence and walked away through the snow, past Dumbledore’s mother and sister, back toward the dark church and the out-of-sight kissing gate.
I really hope they keep that scene in the movie. They’re supposed to be disguised as muggles, after taking polyjuice potion, but hopefully the producers will be smart enough and change that, so we can see Dan and Emma, and not some random actors playing that scene.
Dear Mr. David Heyman: You better make the movie at least 3 hours long. Don’t be stupid.
Anyway, I guess the only thing left to say is… I hope Jo doesn’t write The Adventures of Albus Severus next. I don’t think it would become a best seller. But that’s just me.
Goodbye Harry Potter. I’ll miss you.♥
Anyway, here it is.
I guess I’ll start by saying that I LOVED it. I thought it was amazing, gripping, powerful, and really, really emotional. There are things that I don’t like about JKR’s writing, obviously, but I’d be lying if I said she isn’t good. Cause she is. She’s AMAZING.
I do believe she let herself get too involved in the shipping wars, too influenced by the fans. But when you think about it, this story wasn’t about romance, it was about Harry’s journey, and the friendships he made in between. Love was always mentioned to be a crucial matter throughout the series, however, many of us thought this concept of love referred to “romantic love”, when, as we could see in DH, it was more about the power of friendship and family. And that is why, even if I don’t agree with the final pairings, even if I think JKR’s idea of romance is completely shallow and childish, it doesn’t matter, cause these books are so much more than that.
Things I loved:
* All the characters that were in it. Practically everyone came back. Even Oliver Wood! It kinda felt like Harry Potter: The Reunion. Dear Mr. David Heyman: I wanna see Sean Biggerstaff in the 7th movie. Thank you.
* The intensity of the story. This was probably the most action-packed book of the series. It was also an emotional rollercoaster, from beginning to end.
* The constant fear of getting caught, of not having enough time to find the horcruxes and destroy them, of not knowing where to go, who was reliable and who was not. All the suspense was awesome.
* The bad guys were actually menacing and knew what they were doing. Good for them!
* All the different settings that Jo explored. That’s one of the reasons why this book was so cool, the trio kept moving around, visiting places that had been mentioned before (but we’d never seen), some that were completely new to us, and some that we already knew very well.
* How important was DD’s role in this book. Knowing about his family, his motivations, his strange relationship with Grindelwald. Every single thing about DD’s past was fascinating.
Things I didn’t like:
* I wanted more Snape. I liked his chapter, it was enlightening, and it was nice to know why DD trusted him so much. I still felt like he could’ve played a bigger role in this book, though. Especially in the battle. But I guess he had to die for everything else to unfold. Kinda predictable that he loved Lily, but a good resolution to his story.
* There were some inconsistencies with canon. Jo changed how the Fidelius Charm worked in this book. And Hermione apparently erased her parents’ memory but was expecting to fix them later? I didn’t think that was possible. And then she said she’d never Obliviated anyone before. Maybe she Obliviated herself and forgot she performed the Memory Charm on her parents?
* Hermione JEAN Granger? ‘Nuff said.
* The Deathly Hallows were interesting and all, but I don’t understand what was exactly the point of mentioning them? Cause, apart from the Elder Wand, the other two didn’t really add anything to the story. They only distracted Harry-boy from his main objective. But it’s cool. I’m not complaining.
* Ginny. Dear God. I thought Jo would develop her character a little bit more, but no, she was still useless and invisible in this book. Which, now that I think about it, was not a bad thing at all.
* The Crapilogue from Hell. Stupid, pointless, should’ve been re-written. I wanted to know about the aftermath of Voldy’s fall. How did it affect the Wizarding world. How did it affect the muggles. If Harry became an Auror. If Hermione continued S.P.E.W. If Ron ever grew up and learned how to treat women without needing a book to guide him. I wanted to know about Luna, about George, about Neville. Who cares about Teddy Lupin? Basically, I wanted to know what everyone was doing, not WHO they were doing.
Favorite characters:
Luna. She was so freaking AWESOME! I loved how she distracted everyone so Harry could get to Ron and Hermione in the end. Every scene with Luna was just great.
Lupin was, as always, amazing. Loved his interaction with Harry. Too bad he had to die. :(
The twins were hilarious and SO cool. FRED. :(
Kreacher, really didn’t expect him to become Dobby v.2.0. But that was sweet.
Dobby. :( He saved their asses. That whole chapter was awesome.
McGonagall. I always loved her, but in this one she was even more cool.
NEVILLE. Talk about great character development. He became the freaking leader of the resistance. And he killed the snake! *kisses Neville´s feet*
About the trio: I loved their interaction. Their unbreakable bond. How, at the end of the day, Harry wanted to see Ron and Hermione. No one else.
Ron:
He was great saving Harry’s life, but he also behaved like a baby. And no, it wasn’t cause he was wearing the locket. It’s like there’s always an excuse when it comes to him: He treats Hermione like shit, but that’s because he’s “struggling with his feelings” and he doesn’t have the “Magic Guide to Charming the Ladies” or whatever; he leaves Harry and Hermione in the middle of a war, but that’s because the horcrux was affecting him the most. NO, the truth is, he needs to grow up. He showed some great character development, but he also acted like a total idiot. I hope they keep his fight with Harry (right before he leaves them) in the movie, I think Rupert and Dan would totally rock that.
Hermione:
What can I say, I looooved her. She kicked ass. I think she spent half the book crying, but she saved the trio from dying or getting caught like 359235 times. She was always looking out for the boys. Trying to protect them. She ROCKS. And I don’t know why, but when they captured them I was kinda hoping she’d say her name was “Regina Phalange”, lol. No, but seriously, how awesome was she? It was PAINFUL to read when Bellatrix was torturing her. :( I wanted it to stop. Seriously. And I loved how she kept reminding Harry that DD loved him. And how DD told Harry that he counted on Hermione to slow him up, so that his head wouldn’t dominate his heart. Without her, Harry would’ve been lost. Even DD knew it.
Harry:
It’s impossible not to love these books when they tell the story of such an amazing character like Harry. Seriously. Above all, above the relationships, the good, the evil, the magic, the quest, above all those things, lies the heart of it all: The boy who lived.
I don’t think it could be possible for me to love Harry more. Especially after DH. And not because he’s the chosen one, the “hero”, but because, after all, he’s human. He loves, he laughs, he cries, he makes mistakes. I loved reading how he was afraid, afraid to fail, afraid that people would be dying because of him, and how he would disappoint them. I loved how he screwed up (when he said Voldemort’s name I LMAO), how he argued with Ron, with Hermione, with Lupin. How he didn’t know what to do, where to go, who to trust. And still, he never stopped fighting. It may sound corny, but this is a boy who suffered all his life, and yet, he was willing to keep suffering, to DIE, just to make things right. And THAT’s why, Harry >>>>> all.
RHr/HG:
I really wanted to accept these couples, because I knew they would happen. But this book didn’t do anything to make me like them.
The bickering between RHr was still annoying. I loved this: Unable to stand the bickering, Harry slipped out of the room unnoticed by either of them. LMAO. Anyway, their “moments” consisted of Ron complimenting Hermione, comforting her, or treating her with some respect. In other words, acting more like Harry, lol. So Ron treats her like crap for 6 years, and now that he starts being a little decent to her we’re supposed to believe he’s the right guy for her? Nope, I can’t accept that.
And HG have no depth. Nothing. I think I was more invested in Harry/Hedwig than Harry/Ginny. Jo didn’t even try to develop their relationship in this book. With RHr, she tried too hard. And with HG, she didn’t try enough.
Harry/Hermione:
I could hate Jo for giving us OBHWF in the end, but I can’t. Why? Because she still showed HHr’s amazing bond in this book. There were SO many moments between them, I honestly didn’t expect to get so much. They held hands, hugged, laughed together, cried together, KICKED ASS...it was like OotP all over again. Everything about HHr that I love, was in this book.
I don’t even care that she used them as a catalyst for RHr. I knew she would have to diminish HHr’s bond in order for RHr to work. I even found Ron’s sudden jealousy of HHr kinda funny, actually. Three different books, three different people (Krum, Cho, Ron) that think HHr had something going on. It makes you think, actually. The evil!kiss! was stupid. But if the producers give us that scene, we’ll be able to see Dan and Emma kiss on screen. And I can’t even explain how awesome that would be. Dear Mr. David Heyman: Dan and Emma have a HUGE fanbase. Just sayin’.
And Harry using the “S” word, saying she’s like a sister to him, was something that didn’t bother me because Ron had saved his life, he was crying, and Harry really wanted to make him feel better. After all, Ron’s his best friend. So it makes sense he would say something like that to reassure him. The truth is, Harry and Hermione share a unique, incredibly powerful bond that’ll always be there. A bond that, in real life, could definitely develop into something more. To me, they are the only couple that would’ve made sense in the end, but if JKR didn’t want them together, there’s nothing I can do about it. And, to be honest, she sucks at writing romance, so I’m glad she stayed away from them.
My 3 favorite scenes:
* This was a small HHr moment, but I loved it:
She hesitated, but recognized the dismissal. She picked up the book and then walked back past him into the tent, but as she did so, she brushed the top of his head lightly with her hand. He closed his eyes at her touch, and hated himself for wishing that what she said was true: that Dumbledore really cared.
* I loved when Harry saw his parents, Sirius and Lupin at the forest, and asked them to stay with him as he approached Voldemort, waiting to sacrifice himself. I was bawling throughout that entire chapter.
“You’ll stay with me?”
“Until the very end,” said James.
* The graveyard scene. This was probably one of the most important moments for Harry in the entire series, and Jo chose to make it a HHr moment. Probably my favorite scene in all the books. How they held each other, how Hermione read his mind and conjured the wreath of roses for him. THIS is why I love Harry and Hermione:
But they were not living, thought Harry: They were gone. The empty words could not disguise the fact that his parents' mouldering remains lay beneath snow and stone, indifferent, unknowing. And tears came before he could stop them, boiling hot then instantly freezing on his face, and what was the point in wiping them off or pretending? He let them fall, his lips pressed hard together, looking down at the thick snow hiding from his eyes the place where the last of Lily and James lay, bones now, surely, or dust, not knowing or caring that their living son stood so near, his heart still beating, alive because of their sacrifice and close to wishing, at this moment that he was sleeping under the snow with them.
Hermione had taken his hand again and was gripping it tightly. He could not look at her, but returned the pressure, now taking deep, sharp gulps of night air, trying to steady himself, trying to regain control. He should have brought something to give them, and he had not thought of it, and every plant in the graveyard was leafless and frozen. But Hermione raised her wand, moved it in a circle through the air, and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before them. Harry caught it and laid it on his parents' grave.
As soon as he stood up he wanted to leave: He did not think he could stand another moment there. He put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, and she put hers around his waist, and they turned in silence and walked away through the snow, past Dumbledore’s mother and sister, back toward the dark church and the out-of-sight kissing gate.
I really hope they keep that scene in the movie. They’re supposed to be disguised as muggles, after taking polyjuice potion, but hopefully the producers will be smart enough and change that, so we can see Dan and Emma, and not some random actors playing that scene.
Dear Mr. David Heyman: You better make the movie at least 3 hours long. Don’t be stupid.
Anyway, I guess the only thing left to say is… I hope Jo doesn’t write The Adventures of Albus Severus next. I don’t think it would become a best seller. But that’s just me.
Goodbye Harry Potter. I’ll miss you.♥