HP: Deathly Hallows
I didn't get my book til after four - stupid mailroute - but now that I'm done...
Even if this was the absolute worst book ever to be published, it still would be the best book ever because Harry used Draco's wand. Not only did that send me into fits of glee for the Harry/Draco, but I never, not even one little bit, saw the ending coming, where it was Draco that had won the Elder Wand and thus allowing Harry to win. What a terrific twist!
There were many stumbles in this book - what beta reader would've let her get away with Dean, Ted, Dirk and the goblins magically appear in just the right place to give crucial information to the others? - and Severus' death was rather anticlimatic and non-heroic, which was not that fitting of an end to him, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had sudden action exactly where I would've put it if I were writing and a few twists that I wouldn't have thought of, plus she didn't shy away from the deaths. And Harry did end up being the horcrux, as theorized, and there was a loud "Aha! We were right!" in this portion of the globe.
Of the bad:
-the goblin/Dean/Ted/Dirk conversation. It wouldn't have taken much to get Harry and the others into a more believable place to overhear it, maybe while trying to sneak food from somewhere.
-Severus' non-heroic death. It felt like there should've been something more that he did before his demise.
-The Harry/Dumbledore conversation after Harry's death. I know there needs to be a way to explain things, but my beta reader would've thrashed me for coming up with such a contrived way to do it. And the whole flayed baby thing was a little too morbid and non-sensical to me.
-Ron's leaving Harry and Hermione. There wasn't enough reason behind it, other than him being angry/horcruxed. Maybe if there had been more fighting leading up to it, it would've worked better.
-The thrust of the Deathly Hallows into the plot. While a good idea, it should've been something brought up in every book from the beginning of the series, not just added to the last book. The horcruxes have been there all along, so why not this?
-Harry's obsession with the Deathly Hallows, but only because there wasn't enough of it. For Harry to overcome the desires that Dumbledore had, we should've seen more of a want from Harry to have the power and then cast it aside.
-Draco didn't get used well enough, even though how he was used was clever. His role also seemed anticlimatic.
-How did Kreacher know to come to Hogwarts to help? And why didn't Ron or anyone follow through to warn the house elves of the impending attack?
-The epilogue seemed a bit limp. It fit to have it, and really how many of us would've written something similar?, but it lacked oomph.
Of the good:
-Draco's wand. Draco's wand. Draco's wand.
-Snape + Lily forever. The flashbacks were just perfect.
-Dumbledore's Army, all set for an uprising at the school.
-Harry saving Draco on the broom in the Room of Requirement.
-Hermione and Ron's kiss. *loves*
-The whole last Harry/Voldemort showdown.
-The fact that Harry, Hermione and Ron got attacked repeatedly. A believable chase-type of action book, instead of the bad guy sitting in his tower while the good guys plotted his downfall without problems.
-Draco's receding hairline. HA!
-Harry the Horcrux and the fact that he walked into death with his head held high, like a true hero.
-That Dumbledore was a conniving, abusive old man and it was admitted to in Snape's memories - all these years of saying he was the evil one for pushing Harry into the situations turned out to be true! Okay, he isn't evil-evil, but it is equally as bad to use a child as he did.
-Draco's wand!!!
That's all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure I'll have tons more to say tomorrow. But for now, I am falling asleep at the keyboard and want to slip into dreams of a different epilogue involving Harry & Draco together-together...
Even if this was the absolute worst book ever to be published, it still would be the best book ever because Harry used Draco's wand. Not only did that send me into fits of glee for the Harry/Draco, but I never, not even one little bit, saw the ending coming, where it was Draco that had won the Elder Wand and thus allowing Harry to win. What a terrific twist!
There were many stumbles in this book - what beta reader would've let her get away with Dean, Ted, Dirk and the goblins magically appear in just the right place to give crucial information to the others? - and Severus' death was rather anticlimatic and non-heroic, which was not that fitting of an end to him, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had sudden action exactly where I would've put it if I were writing and a few twists that I wouldn't have thought of, plus she didn't shy away from the deaths. And Harry did end up being the horcrux, as theorized, and there was a loud "Aha! We were right!" in this portion of the globe.
Of the bad:
-the goblin/Dean/Ted/Dirk conversation. It wouldn't have taken much to get Harry and the others into a more believable place to overhear it, maybe while trying to sneak food from somewhere.
-Severus' non-heroic death. It felt like there should've been something more that he did before his demise.
-The Harry/Dumbledore conversation after Harry's death. I know there needs to be a way to explain things, but my beta reader would've thrashed me for coming up with such a contrived way to do it. And the whole flayed baby thing was a little too morbid and non-sensical to me.
-Ron's leaving Harry and Hermione. There wasn't enough reason behind it, other than him being angry/horcruxed. Maybe if there had been more fighting leading up to it, it would've worked better.
-The thrust of the Deathly Hallows into the plot. While a good idea, it should've been something brought up in every book from the beginning of the series, not just added to the last book. The horcruxes have been there all along, so why not this?
-Harry's obsession with the Deathly Hallows, but only because there wasn't enough of it. For Harry to overcome the desires that Dumbledore had, we should've seen more of a want from Harry to have the power and then cast it aside.
-Draco didn't get used well enough, even though how he was used was clever. His role also seemed anticlimatic.
-How did Kreacher know to come to Hogwarts to help? And why didn't Ron or anyone follow through to warn the house elves of the impending attack?
-The epilogue seemed a bit limp. It fit to have it, and really how many of us would've written something similar?, but it lacked oomph.
Of the good:
-Draco's wand. Draco's wand. Draco's wand.
-Snape + Lily forever. The flashbacks were just perfect.
-Dumbledore's Army, all set for an uprising at the school.
-Harry saving Draco on the broom in the Room of Requirement.
-Hermione and Ron's kiss. *loves*
-The whole last Harry/Voldemort showdown.
-The fact that Harry, Hermione and Ron got attacked repeatedly. A believable chase-type of action book, instead of the bad guy sitting in his tower while the good guys plotted his downfall without problems.
-Draco's receding hairline. HA!
-Harry the Horcrux and the fact that he walked into death with his head held high, like a true hero.
-That Dumbledore was a conniving, abusive old man and it was admitted to in Snape's memories - all these years of saying he was the evil one for pushing Harry into the situations turned out to be true! Okay, he isn't evil-evil, but it is equally as bad to use a child as he did.
-Draco's wand!!!
That's all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure I'll have tons more to say tomorrow. But for now, I am falling asleep at the keyboard and want to slip into dreams of a different epilogue involving Harry & Draco together-together...