Oh, Harry...
It's been a few days since I finished my marathon HP reading. I listened to Stephen Fry's version of Goblet of Fire, Order of The Phoenix and Half Blood Prince and Jim Dale's version of Deathly Hallows. Jim Dale has this old lady way of saying 'Sorry' which Harry, Hermione and Ron keep saying throughout DH, and 'Oh, Harry...', which Hermione says
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Word. Harry has annoyed me to no end in some of the other books, OoTP especially presented him as being an almost completely unbearable git. So I was very pleased that throughout and by the end of this book, that I saw Harry mature into a person that I could respect, instead of wanting to smack all the time.
It seemed a little too easy for Ron and Harry to defeat Bellatrix...
Word again. I mean, I know that ultimately the good guys were gonna triumph, but J.K built up Bellatrix way too much for her to be diswanded by Harry and Ron, and then killed my Molly Weasely.
I totally agree with everything you said in the "awesome characters section". Hermione has been a perpetually kickass character, who I have always been able to count on not to do anything ridiculously stupid, to act like a complete wanker, but to stand by her friends, never give up, and always be their when someone needs their ass saved. I'll admit her crying got a little tiring in this book, but overall she continued to be the awesome character I loved.
Luna and Neville were also a joy to see. Luna, literally brought tears to my eyes just by being such a beautiful soul. Those pictures she had of her friends (so misty eyed), the way she cared for Ollivander, her eulogy for Dobby, her quiet wisdom and bravery. Luna! And Neville, I was so happy to see him come into his own. Honestly, I like Neville way more than Harry and think that he emerged the far greater hero, but whatever. Go Neville!
And Snape! The overview of the important events in Snape's life was one of my favorite parts of the book. Getting to see what made the man what he was (so much hate for James Potter, effing toerag), seeing more of his relationship with Dumbledore, and then he parting request for Harry to look at him so that he could die looking into Lily's eyes. Snape!
I wish it hadn't been so easy for Bellatrix to defeat Hermione in Order of Phoenix...
I'll give this one a pass, since Bellatrix has FAR more duelling experience than Hermione, who before OoTP hadn't really been in a dog fight. If a school girl had been able to easily take on an experienced Death Eater who parents tell the children horror stories about to get them to go to sleep at night it would have bugged more.
I wish the books weren't using the third person limited p.o.v so we could have gotten more inside of her head. Most of the time it would be a more interesting place than Harry's head.
Couldn't agree more. Like I said before, there were times when I downright didn't like Harry, so always being in his head was kind of annoying. And there were moments especially, where I really wanted to know what was going on with another character (ex. that last visual exchange with Petunia, what WAS she thinking?).
In the books I've read, he's mostly a self absorbed big whiner, and absolutely no help in talking sense into Harry.
I don't really have a soft spot for Ron, but I don't mind him. Ron, is the everyman. He's not really that special in anyway, he is whiney and self-absorbed because he's a teenager, and he's good for comic relief because he says things other people have too much tact to. Not thrilled with him winding up with Hermione, I think she's far too mature for him at the end of the novel, and with the differences in their personalities I find it hard to believe that even if they did hook up that they would stay together, but whatever.
I didn't particularly like the Epilogue.
Don't feel bad, I have yet to encounter someone who did, lol.
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Agreed. At least in the final fight Bellatrix is described as the most powerful of the Death Eaters. She's fending off three attackers. I never knew Molly Weasley was her equal or better either, although JK often says you have to mean it, and Molly really meant to protect her family.
There does seem to be inconsistencies in the description of the level of power of the various characters. Snape wiped the floor with Harry in Order of the Phoenix or HBP I think so that gives us a pretty good idea that Harry is not that great in absolute terms against anyone other than Voldy.
Hermione seems to hold her own pretty well in some bad situations but ultimately is not described as winning the key duels.
Bellatrix is described as very powerful, and yes it does make sense that she would defeat Hermione the first time out, but the Malfoy manor escape was a little too easy so it creates an inconsistency.
Luna, literally brought tears to my eyes just by being such a beautiful soul. Those pictures she had of her friends (so misty eyed), the way she cared for Ollivander, her eulogy for Dobby, her quiet wisdom and bravery.
Totally agree. The pictures were such an insight into Luna. I would love to see some Hermione/Luna fic, they'd be some interesting contrasts.
with the differences in their personalities I find it hard to believe that even if they did hook up that they would stay together, but whatever.
Yep, hard to imagine them not drifting apart when they get older and Hermione keeps getting more kickass because *she* hasn't peaked at 17. I can't see Ron keeping up.
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