"HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS" (2007) Book Review
"HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS" (2007) Book Review
I usually do not post book reviews, but a great deal has been made about the last installment of J.K. Rowling’s "HARRY POTTER" literary series that I thought I might as well say something. I have only been a die hard fan of the series since the release of the third movie, "HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN" in 2004. I had also seen the first two movies in the theaters. I had enjoyed both, but it was the third film that had induced me to read the novels. Between "PRISONERS OF AZKABAN" and the books, I became a die-hard fan. But this is not about the other stories. This is about the last one . . . "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS"
I am going to make this short. As much as I have enjoyed the series, I have come to the realization that I like the last five novels - starting with "PRISONER OF AZKABAN" more than I do the first two. I guess I found it easier to relate to the increasingly ambiguous nature of the story. And if there is one thing I can say about "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS" is that it is one hell of an ambiguous novel. In it, Harry Potter and his two friends - Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger - truly started on their road to adulthood. And this, I believe, is the major strength of this novel.
By the time I came to the middle of the novel, I realized that for the first time in the series most of its setting would take place away from Hogswarts. A part of me felt slightly disappointed that Harry, Ron and Hermoine did not reach the school until the last several chapters of the novel. On the other hand, I felt this was the correct thing for Rowling to do. For me, "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS" definitely seemed like a "coming of age" story for our three protagonists. It was a maturity that they strongly needed in order to face the main villain, Lord Voldemort (aka Tom Riddle) and his Death Eaters. Looking back on the story, I do not think that Harry, Ron and Hermoine would have acquired their maturity and backbone if the story had mainly been set at Hogswarts. I think it was a very good move on Rowling’s part.
And our three heroes truly did grow. Hermoine learned to face her feelings for Ron and overcome that narrow-minded superiority that originally made her dismiss the legend of the Deathly Hallows. Ron learned to overcome his insecurity about his abilities as a wizard, his views on non-human magical creatures like house elves . . . and face his feelings for Hermoine. And Harry learned to overcome his tendency to play lone wolf and realize that people are not always what they seemed to be. The truths about Sirius Black's treatment of the house elf Kreacher, Dumbledore’s past and his desires for powers, Draco Malfoy's true nature, Snape’s feelings for Lily Potter and his true role in the war against Voldemort were powerful lessons for Harry. And I guess one could say they were powerful lessons for Ron and Hermoine, as well.
Of course, the deaths of Fred Weasley, Colin Creevy, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and others were painful. But the deaths of Dobby and Severus Snape really moved me to tears. And the trio’s painful adventures throughout the British Isles seemed like another version of Homer’s "ODYSSEY" that probably lifted this last installment almost to an epic quality.
Despite my enjoyment of "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS", I do have a few complaints about it. Rowling's portrayal of the Slytherins - past and present - annoyed the hell out of me. The author went through a great deal to both emphasize the need for house unity within Hogswarts in the previous two novels - especially 2003's "HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX" - and allow Harry not to judge others for superficial reasons. And yet, she insisted upon maintaining the clichés that the Slytherins could not be trusted. Rowling took this to the extreme by allowing Hogswarts Professor Minerva McGonagall dismiss all of the Slytherin students from the Great Hall after one of the students of the house, Pansy Parkinson, suggested they turn Harry over to the Death Eaters in order to save their hides. All of the Slytherin students. This was one of the most ridiculous scenes in the novel. I also wish that Rowling had included a scene in which Harry reveals Voldemort's half-blood ancestry to combatants during his final encounter with the evil wizard. I would have enjoyed seeing the reaction of Voldemort's followers to this news. One more thing - the entire "Battle of Hogswarts" sequence seemed to go on forever. And if I must be frank, it is not one of the best written sequences in Rowling's literary career. But what can one expect when the sequence's action featured a major interruption by four consecutive chapters - "The Elder Wand", "The Prince's Tale", "The Forest Again" and "King's Cross" - that diverted Harry from the action at Hogswarts Castle?
But "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS" did feature some great moments. One of my favorite scenes include the hilarious wedding for Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour that was interrupted by Kingsley Shacklebolt's patronus warning about incoming Death Eaters. I really enjoyed Harry, Ron and Hermione's adventures in London - especially their break-in of the Ministry of Magic. Ron's return and rescue of Harry from a chilly pond and Hermione's angry reaction was a joy to read. The trio's adventures at the Malfoy Manor, Harry and Hermione's creepy visit to Godric's Hollow, and the trio's visit to the home of fellow student Luna Lovegood kept me riveted. But the two sequences that I found truly outstanding proved to be the trio's visit to the Gringotts Bank and their escape on the back of a blind dragon, and "The Prince's Tale" chapter that revealed Snape's past with Lily Potter and Albus Dumbledore.
J.K. Rowling continued to write other books, following her opus on the boy wizard, Harry Potter. I have never read these novels, but I hope they proved to be as excellent as the seven novels that have entertained the public between 1997 and 2007. But if Rowling's future novels do not prove to be just as popular or well received, I will not hold it against her. After all, she did create Harry Potter for all of us to enjoy for years to come - in both the novels and the movies.