My thoughts immediately after finishing Deathly Hallows
I wrote these on the Monday morning, just after finishing Deathly Hallows, before i had chance to speak to anyone else or read anyone else's reactions. I'm so glad i have this, because my opinions have been somewhat swayed since by other people's reviews, and it's nice to have this record of my own initial feelings.
As i have said plenty of times, i loved the book, i love the whole series, and that has not changed.
There are bound to be spoilers, not that i think there are many people left who have not read the book who want to avoid spoilers!
It is Monday morning, i am on the train to work. Just saw a friend who also finished the book last night ... but as we sat down we saw someone opposite reading it, so we decided not to talk about it. I've come to get a table seat, and oooh, there's someone else reading it!
My dreams last night were all full of Harry Potter, unsurprisingly. I do not feel disappointed that the series is over. I now feel that i could read the books over and over again, and come to love them more and more. Right now i feel that Deathly Hallows is my favourite by far, and i think it will remain in that position which Prisoner of Azkaban has firmly held in my heart for such a long time.
I feel satisfied that many questions have been answered. I didn't think Jo would ever be able to answer them all. My biggest question was why Dumbledore would send Harry off on an almost impossible quest without any assistance from older, wizer wizards. The answer, of course, was that Dumbledore was indeed a crackpot old fool! But oh, so brilliantly clever and intelligent! Spotting that flaw in Voldemort's resurrection, knowing that Harry could not die while Voldemort still lived, making it possible for the bit of Voldemort's soul in Harry to be destroyed without killing Harry.
Oh, but weren't the Jesus metaphors strong in this book! Even Laura Mallory might have to admit that the story is an allegory of Jesus. The prophecy of birth, the life, the love, the death and ressurection, the saving of the world, and destroying the power of the fear of death. But of course, Laura Mallory will never read the book.
I thought about it last night, and realised that a different person destroyed each of the Horcruxes:
The diary - Harry
The ring - Dumbledore
The locket - Ron
The cup - Hermione
The diadem - Crabbe
The snake - Neville
All of these people played a crucial part in the downfall of Voldemort. And of course, the accidental Horcrux that was in Harry, that was destroyed by Voldemort!
Yes, okay, Harry was a Horcrux. I didn't want to believe it, but i'm sure we won't hear the end of it for a long time from the half of Harry fandom who theorised correctly!
Well well, Snape was good after all! I am pleased. I wanted it to be true, but Jo had pushed my doubts to the point of no return, before dragging them all the way back again! It explains why Snape took flight on the night of the battle - probably couldn't bear to join in with the Death Eaters, but the good side would never believe that Snape was on their side. It was really only the memories that could have persuaded Harry. And to think, the memories were so close to being lost forever! I loved that Harry named a son after Severus. That still makes my eyes prickle every time i think of it.
The other terribly moving bit was Dobby's death. It seemed such a tragic loss; such a good house elf, so unwaiveringly devoted to Harry, and wouldn't let a bad word be said against Harry. I have so much love for Dobby. Still, Dobby died free and happy, in the arms of Harry Potter.
My favourite moments of the book ... oh there are so many! Ron rescuing Harry has to come pretty high up! The break in to the Ministry of Magic and the freeing of the Muggle-borns! The visit to Godric's Hollow; that was sweet. Aberforth Dumbledore, such a character! The return to Hogwarts, the arrival of hundreds of people to help fight (including Oliver Wood - swoon!). The battle was fierce and exciting, and McGonagall was a superstar! And of course, the final showdown, which was as incredible as i ever could have hoped it would be. Harry was brilliant!
Incidentally, my partner's spoiler was that Harry would live. It turned out not to be such a spoiler at all, because i thought we were going to have a choose-your-own-afterlife! I thought Harry was going to create a world that seemed just like the real world, except where Lily and James were still alive, there was no Voldemort, and Harry had no scar. It turns out the final twist was way better than anything like that!
Whew! So there it all is! All my thoughts as i read, and just after i finished Deathly Hallows. And with that, i leave LiveJournal. I will make one more post explaining my future plans, and how to stay in touch with me ... and then i'll be gone. Wheeee! :D
As i have said plenty of times, i loved the book, i love the whole series, and that has not changed.
There are bound to be spoilers, not that i think there are many people left who have not read the book who want to avoid spoilers!
It is Monday morning, i am on the train to work. Just saw a friend who also finished the book last night ... but as we sat down we saw someone opposite reading it, so we decided not to talk about it. I've come to get a table seat, and oooh, there's someone else reading it!
My dreams last night were all full of Harry Potter, unsurprisingly. I do not feel disappointed that the series is over. I now feel that i could read the books over and over again, and come to love them more and more. Right now i feel that Deathly Hallows is my favourite by far, and i think it will remain in that position which Prisoner of Azkaban has firmly held in my heart for such a long time.
I feel satisfied that many questions have been answered. I didn't think Jo would ever be able to answer them all. My biggest question was why Dumbledore would send Harry off on an almost impossible quest without any assistance from older, wizer wizards. The answer, of course, was that Dumbledore was indeed a crackpot old fool! But oh, so brilliantly clever and intelligent! Spotting that flaw in Voldemort's resurrection, knowing that Harry could not die while Voldemort still lived, making it possible for the bit of Voldemort's soul in Harry to be destroyed without killing Harry.
Oh, but weren't the Jesus metaphors strong in this book! Even Laura Mallory might have to admit that the story is an allegory of Jesus. The prophecy of birth, the life, the love, the death and ressurection, the saving of the world, and destroying the power of the fear of death. But of course, Laura Mallory will never read the book.
I thought about it last night, and realised that a different person destroyed each of the Horcruxes:
The diary - Harry
The ring - Dumbledore
The locket - Ron
The cup - Hermione
The diadem - Crabbe
The snake - Neville
All of these people played a crucial part in the downfall of Voldemort. And of course, the accidental Horcrux that was in Harry, that was destroyed by Voldemort!
Yes, okay, Harry was a Horcrux. I didn't want to believe it, but i'm sure we won't hear the end of it for a long time from the half of Harry fandom who theorised correctly!
Well well, Snape was good after all! I am pleased. I wanted it to be true, but Jo had pushed my doubts to the point of no return, before dragging them all the way back again! It explains why Snape took flight on the night of the battle - probably couldn't bear to join in with the Death Eaters, but the good side would never believe that Snape was on their side. It was really only the memories that could have persuaded Harry. And to think, the memories were so close to being lost forever! I loved that Harry named a son after Severus. That still makes my eyes prickle every time i think of it.
The other terribly moving bit was Dobby's death. It seemed such a tragic loss; such a good house elf, so unwaiveringly devoted to Harry, and wouldn't let a bad word be said against Harry. I have so much love for Dobby. Still, Dobby died free and happy, in the arms of Harry Potter.
My favourite moments of the book ... oh there are so many! Ron rescuing Harry has to come pretty high up! The break in to the Ministry of Magic and the freeing of the Muggle-borns! The visit to Godric's Hollow; that was sweet. Aberforth Dumbledore, such a character! The return to Hogwarts, the arrival of hundreds of people to help fight (including Oliver Wood - swoon!). The battle was fierce and exciting, and McGonagall was a superstar! And of course, the final showdown, which was as incredible as i ever could have hoped it would be. Harry was brilliant!
Incidentally, my partner's spoiler was that Harry would live. It turned out not to be such a spoiler at all, because i thought we were going to have a choose-your-own-afterlife! I thought Harry was going to create a world that seemed just like the real world, except where Lily and James were still alive, there was no Voldemort, and Harry had no scar. It turns out the final twist was way better than anything like that!
Whew! So there it all is! All my thoughts as i read, and just after i finished Deathly Hallows. And with that, i leave LiveJournal. I will make one more post explaining my future plans, and how to stay in touch with me ... and then i'll be gone. Wheeee! :D