My take on DH (sort of)
People are asking me what I thought of Deathly Hallows, and I don't want to disappoint them, but the fact is, I feel like I need to re-read it to decide how I ultimately feel about it. Yet I have no desire to re-read it any time soon, so that makes me feel like I'd better just keep my mouth shut. In the meantime I'm afraid you'll have to put me down as "ambivalent".
I will say, however, that I am pleased and surprised that in my Snapefic "If We Survive" (which is SO NOT CANON otherwise, alas) I anticipated by more than five years the idea of a willing sacrificial death protecting the teachers and students of Hogwarts from Voldemort's power. My only mistake was in assigning that death to Dumbledore instead of Harry.
I was also right about Voldemort doing the Magical Megaphone trick, and Draco Malfoy letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts (okay, that was Book 6, but it's never too late to gloat), and Dumbledore and Snape plotting his death together well in advance. And, of course, Snape being on the side of good, and ultimately trying to do the right thing, even though his cover as a double agent forced him to appear to take credit for, or at least seem indifferent to, some quite terrible things (like the deaths of Emmeline Vance and Charity Burbage, and the accidental maiming of George Weasley). Also the idea of his worst memory being called that because it was the end of his friendship with Lily. I was, of course, totally wrong about the liquid in the basin being the real Horcrux and Dumbledore having to die in order to accomplish its destruction; and also wrong about Snape swearing an Unbreakable Vow to Dumbledore to protect Harry with his life. We can't have it all.
And with regard to the deaths in general: I said to avarill two days before DH came out that if one of the Twins had to die, and I suspected one of them would, I hoped it would be Fred. Yay, George lives and does Van Gogh impersonations! As for all the other deaths, I was shocked by Hedwig (and to think people got mad at me for being an owl-killer!) and actually shed tears over Mad-Eye (though I'd long suspected that having him survive the series might be too much to hope). I did not cry over any of the others, though -- no, not even That One. Though I was deeply moved by Ron's struggle with the locket, and a little bit touched by Dobby's death as well.
Finally, some things I really did love: NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM AND HIS GRAN FTW!!! Also Luna being her wonderful self in every scene, even if Snape/Luna is, like every other Snape ship which does not end with "Lily", utterly stomped flat by canon. I was gobsmacked that the Malfoy family all survived -- I've never been a fan myself, but I couldn't help thinking that buttfacemakani would be so happy and draw lots of hilarious sketches that it would be worth it. The scene in which Harry saw the doe patronus, and I immediately knew it was Snape's and let out a cackle of vindicated glee. Snape's dry remark to Dumbledore about composing his epitaph. Hermione flinging herself at Ron after he defends the house-elves.
So there, some thoughts. Not a full review, but better than nothing, right?
I will say, however, that I am pleased and surprised that in my Snapefic "If We Survive" (which is SO NOT CANON otherwise, alas) I anticipated by more than five years the idea of a willing sacrificial death protecting the teachers and students of Hogwarts from Voldemort's power. My only mistake was in assigning that death to Dumbledore instead of Harry.
I was also right about Voldemort doing the Magical Megaphone trick, and Draco Malfoy letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts (okay, that was Book 6, but it's never too late to gloat), and Dumbledore and Snape plotting his death together well in advance. And, of course, Snape being on the side of good, and ultimately trying to do the right thing, even though his cover as a double agent forced him to appear to take credit for, or at least seem indifferent to, some quite terrible things (like the deaths of Emmeline Vance and Charity Burbage, and the accidental maiming of George Weasley). Also the idea of his worst memory being called that because it was the end of his friendship with Lily. I was, of course, totally wrong about the liquid in the basin being the real Horcrux and Dumbledore having to die in order to accomplish its destruction; and also wrong about Snape swearing an Unbreakable Vow to Dumbledore to protect Harry with his life. We can't have it all.
And with regard to the deaths in general: I said to avarill two days before DH came out that if one of the Twins had to die, and I suspected one of them would, I hoped it would be Fred. Yay, George lives and does Van Gogh impersonations! As for all the other deaths, I was shocked by Hedwig (and to think people got mad at me for being an owl-killer!) and actually shed tears over Mad-Eye (though I'd long suspected that having him survive the series might be too much to hope). I did not cry over any of the others, though -- no, not even That One. Though I was deeply moved by Ron's struggle with the locket, and a little bit touched by Dobby's death as well.
Finally, some things I really did love: NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM AND HIS GRAN FTW!!! Also Luna being her wonderful self in every scene, even if Snape/Luna is, like every other Snape ship which does not end with "Lily", utterly stomped flat by canon. I was gobsmacked that the Malfoy family all survived -- I've never been a fan myself, but I couldn't help thinking that buttfacemakani would be so happy and draw lots of hilarious sketches that it would be worth it. The scene in which Harry saw the doe patronus, and I immediately knew it was Snape's and let out a cackle of vindicated glee. Snape's dry remark to Dumbledore about composing his epitaph. Hermione flinging herself at Ron after he defends the house-elves.
So there, some thoughts. Not a full review, but better than nothing, right?