No Spoilers: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows
It's 4:45 a.m. and I just got done finishing the seventh Harry Potter book. My boyfriend had finished it after one long sitting the morning before this, and I wasn't in any great hurry to snatch it from him. Truth be told, I was worried, because the last book had been such a disappointment to me - the writing was well below par, the characters didn't act like themselves, and the whole thing was utterly unsatisfying. I feared that if the last book followed suit, the series would end on a horribly jarring note.
I am very glad and relieved and grateful to discover that my fears were in vain.
I have to say that I do not feel that Rowling ever surpassed the sheer quality of writing found in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The entire series progressed to that crowning achievement of wonderfully constructed fantasy and emotional intensity. The book that followed, Half Blood Prince, was far inferior to anything that came before it. Deathly Hallows gets back on track so that the characters act like themselves and the writing feels like Rowling's. Her characteristic turns of plot, the unexpected character deaths, the little touches that make her fantasy world so appealing - all of these things lovingly return for the last novel. Although the books' most climactic moments did not strike me with the utter power of scenes in the fifth novel, or the death of Sirius Black, they were well done and well received. And it was good, so good, to see everyone again, as well as many places we've grown to know and love. I really do not want to think that we will not see these characters and Harry Potter's world again.
There were far more than one or two character deaths in the novel and though they happen during high-action scenarios, they are felt. I know that Rowling normally only kills one or two very carefully selected characters per novel, but that goes right out the window. It really does feel like a war, at long last, and if it's made into a movie properly then it should be quite stunning to watch. Though there were some things we'd guessed, for the most part Rowling introduced enough new material to make for a lot of surprises. Loose ends are tied up and for the most part, I was able to go along with it; only a few things seemed a little too pat. And though I was interrupted in my reading several times, I was able to ingest the book in one day, leading me to this post at around 5 a.m.
I sit here feeling satisfied overall. I am glad that I overcame my skepticism and worry. I am glad I read the book. I am even more glad that Rowling started the series to begin with; it has given me a great deal of fun and enjoyment. By all means, read the final book and enjoy it for all it's worth - and keep your fingers crossed that Rowling will find other stories to tell in a world so rich and beloved.
I am very glad and relieved and grateful to discover that my fears were in vain.
I have to say that I do not feel that Rowling ever surpassed the sheer quality of writing found in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The entire series progressed to that crowning achievement of wonderfully constructed fantasy and emotional intensity. The book that followed, Half Blood Prince, was far inferior to anything that came before it. Deathly Hallows gets back on track so that the characters act like themselves and the writing feels like Rowling's. Her characteristic turns of plot, the unexpected character deaths, the little touches that make her fantasy world so appealing - all of these things lovingly return for the last novel. Although the books' most climactic moments did not strike me with the utter power of scenes in the fifth novel, or the death of Sirius Black, they were well done and well received. And it was good, so good, to see everyone again, as well as many places we've grown to know and love. I really do not want to think that we will not see these characters and Harry Potter's world again.
There were far more than one or two character deaths in the novel and though they happen during high-action scenarios, they are felt. I know that Rowling normally only kills one or two very carefully selected characters per novel, but that goes right out the window. It really does feel like a war, at long last, and if it's made into a movie properly then it should be quite stunning to watch. Though there were some things we'd guessed, for the most part Rowling introduced enough new material to make for a lot of surprises. Loose ends are tied up and for the most part, I was able to go along with it; only a few things seemed a little too pat. And though I was interrupted in my reading several times, I was able to ingest the book in one day, leading me to this post at around 5 a.m.
I sit here feeling satisfied overall. I am glad that I overcame my skepticism and worry. I am glad I read the book. I am even more glad that Rowling started the series to begin with; it has given me a great deal of fun and enjoyment. By all means, read the final book and enjoy it for all it's worth - and keep your fingers crossed that Rowling will find other stories to tell in a world so rich and beloved.