yes, well, that.
So, yes, I read the leaked copy online, and tackled my roomie as she returned from the book release party to double-check, and yes, 'twas genuine. Yes, I'm a horrible human being, etc, but now we've all read it, so who cares? It's time for the fun part!
I...mostly liked it. Honestly, I think my main problem was that the ending itself (and the GODAWFUL epilogue) was so bloody anticlimactic that it's been overshadowing the parts I liked, which is unfair, really, because there really were some good bits in there. The building tension among the trio, then sense of hopelessness and not knowing where to turn, the sudden breakthroughs that often only took them from bad to worse, the blatant historical parallels (I'm a sucker for history repeating itself, so), and finally the pieces all starting to come together...it was nice. The Jesus thing, I was less fond of. For a few minutes there, I almost believed she had the balls to kill off Harry, and was actually fairly impressed, but no, Deus Ex Machina saves the day. Although at least said DEM was established gradually throughout all the books (particularly GOF), so it didn't bother me as much as it might have.
For the lose: killing off Remus, you bitch. Actually, less that she killed him, which...I suppose a small rebellious part of me can accept, but more that it was completely POINTLESS except in the upping-the-angst sweepstakes, and we don't even get to find out how he and Tonks died? Urg.
Some people who've read it already were really upset about how OOC Remus was behaving for parts of the book; I do have to disagree there. His behavior is completely in line with my perception of his character -- someone who's learned the hard way that every time he opens himself up to anyone, he only gets hurt even worse, and now he's absolutely terrified because he's got more to lose than ever before. But I don't see his offer to follow Harry as an act of cowardice; rather, it's the lesser of two evils in his mind: stay home and watch his new family be destroyed by the war, because nothing he can do there will be enough to protect them, or help the only guy who can possibly save the world, in the hopes that his assistance will tip the balance a bit more in Harry's favor. The best way to protect Tonks and the puppy unborn child, as he sees it, is to make sure Harry defeats Voldemort. How, exactly, is that cowardice? Which isn't to say that staying with Tonks wound up being the wrong decision, but again, at that time, in his eyes, he was trying to take the course of action with the highest possibility of success. Feel free to disagree with me, but there's my two cents. (Or nickel, even.)
The scene with Harry walking to his death surrounded by the Marauders made me cry. Not for Harry, though. For my darling Sirius and Remus, and how much younger and happier they looked when they were dead, and HOW SAD IS THAT OMG.
Percy for the win. Kreacher for the win, because he suddenly was made of awesome. Dumbledore backstory for the win. Mrs. Weasley, surprisingly, for the win, although why she had to steal Sigourney Weaver's line from Aliens in the process, I do not know. Snape...not for the lose, anyway, although for all his actions to have been just because he was in love with Lily seems a bit oversimplified. Narcissa sort of for the win. NEVILLE FOR THE WIN TIMES A BILLION.
Rocks fall, Fred dies, etc, but that scene was handled fairly well, and I TOTALLY CALLED that, shockingly enough. (That one of the twins would die, and not the other, and that would be the Weasley death.) Although I really, really wish we'd gotten to see George afterwards, for chrissakes -- what's the point of killing off half of a pair if we don't get the other half's reaction? (I'm morbid like that.) I also mourn Mad-Eye. Less so Dobby, but he did his best. Fandom for the win for totally calling R.A.B. as Regulus and Harry's scar as Horcrux. The fact that there's a really good reason for not saying the Dark Lord's name made me happy, 'cause it's about time people respect the creepy magical power of names. (/earthsea.)
Annoyed with her treatment of Wormtail, Draco, Luna, Seamus, Ginny, most of D.A. Mainly because she creates these interesting characters and then goes NOWHERE with them. Seriously, wtf Draco? I'm not a big Draco fan, but he suddenly became really interesting in HBP, and then...nothing. He did NOTHING. Come ON. And don't even get me started on how she still has no respect for Peter Pettigrew, and his death was just pathetic. (Okay, I'm aware Peter's kind of my pet character in a number of sort of creepy ways, but if he was as pathetic as JKR makes him appear, he would never have been made Secret Keeper or had even the remotest success as a spy, and Voldie never would have killed the Potters, and none of this would ever have happened. For fuck's sake.) And what's the point of making Ginny such a powerful witch if she's only there for breeding purposes?
EPILOGUE FOR THE LOSE. Okay, yes, it's important that Harry finally gets what he's always wanted (a family), but did she have to name all the little sprogs? Also, wtf with not telling us what people actually DID with their lives post-Voldemort (besides reproduce, of course)? I suppose I should be grateful, as this leaves more room for fanfic, but for fuck's sake. These are the most powerful witches and wizards of their generation -- I'm supposed to believe nothing in their lives matters beyond ickle Albus Severus? (Incidentally, ew.) Okay, so Neville's Herbology professor, as we all expected, but other than that -- I mean, who's even Hogwarts Headmaster post-war? And way to not actually tell us who died in the final battle, beyond the obvious Remus and Tonks and Fred. Did any professors kick it? Anyone else in the D.A.? A battle like that, I refuse to believe that only bad guys were killed. Not that I want anyone else cool to get bumped off, but she says that fifty or so other people died, and they can't all have been Death Eaters. Goddamn it. Ah, well, fanfic.
Again, most of the way through, I was enjoying myself. Not that it was great literature, but none of these books have been, and this one was no better or worse than the rest of the lot. But the ending left me so frustrated that it's hard to look back on the rest without prejudice. Still, it's over. And good triumphs, shockingly enough. And...I guess I'll never really write post-DH fic, as all my favorite characters are no longer among us. Unless I write George fic. That might happen. Hmmm.
I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's reactions! Tomorrow I've got an appointment with Chicago Apartment Finders to, well, find me a proper apartment, and then tomorrow night is my roomie's birthday party, so I'll be MIA for the bulk of the day (which is a big factor in why I chose to read the leaked copy, incidentally; that, and I was afraid I'd be completely spoiled otherwise), but oh, I can't wait to see what everyone else thought! Because ultimately, the fandom means so, so much more to me than the source material, y'know? *glomps for everyone!*