I called a lot of things (which surprised me, actually), and I agree to an extent about the epilogue - I think in large part it's going to be more there for a) the people who go straight to the back to read the last couple pages first and b) the younger ones who need more of a reassurance after the ending. Does that make sense? I realise book binding involves even numbers of pages and all, but I think the fact there's a blank page between the end of the book and the epilogue is a spacer in more than just physical ways. I think it read a lot more grownup than the others - in terms of writing style, too - and I kind of like that - I think some kids might struggle, yes, but there's also so many people who've grown up WITH the books that I think it works for me.
I was SO terrified for Neville - as soon as she got to that bit where she specifically mentioned Nagini around Voldemort's shoulders outside the castle and people started coming out I KNEW that Neville would try for it, and I was so worried he'd get Nagini but that Voldemort would get Neville. And I pretty much spent the last fifty or so pages trying stop crying so I could, you know, SEE the pages. Heh. Fred absolutely gutted me, although I am very glad she didn't do the tacky thing of having George die as well.
Also - Dobby and Hedwig, oh my god, I kind of saw that coming (and I really thought Hagrid as well, because the entire series is pretty much a long run of "let's take away all of Harry's support systems!") but that really, really killed me.
Though I am super \o/ about a) having worked out the bartender at the Hog's Head was important years ago and b) something else I totally can't even remember now, but which I did see coming. Oh, and I loved that the pink earmuffs made a return in the middle of the battle. HEART. I got it about ten past eleven, drove home, and got a bowl of cereal and read, hee. It is much easier to read all in one go from NZ time than it was when we did the midnight release thing in Ireland, I must say. ;)
Yeah I hadn't thought of the epilogue in terms of reassurance but that makes sense. I think she should have called one of harry and ginnys kids 'fred' though ;)
I really truly thought neville was a goner too! He was so brave getting that sword. I had wondered if she'd twist the whole prophecy thing and bring neville in there somewhere so i'm glad he got to do something vital.
Hedwig was too quick for me, I was like 'what, um ok so hedwigs dead already,thats it?' so I didn't get emotionally involved but yeah Dobby was tough.
I would never in a million years have picked the bartender thing or that it was aberforth so go you!:)
I loved Dudley at the beginning and that Percy came back in the end. I felt a lot of empathy for draco which surprised me.
We didn't get home with ours till nearly 12 as stupid, dumb etc etc paper plus had the WORST queuing system ever! grrrrr.
I think probably one of them is/will be called that - there's no reason to assume ALL the kids were at the station, right? *grin* Either that or George (and probably Angelina, because this is a kids book and so marriage is most likely going to be between people we've seen together already) beat them to it. ;)
I LOVE Neville and have been pretty much terrified he was going to die, especially since OotP (I was almost relieved when it was Sirius, then. Heh.), so that made me happy, yeah.
I kept hoping Hedwig was going to be a false alarm, but it really seemed not after a while. Poor Harry...
Oh, I don't even remember how I picked it, yet, but there was something in one of the earlier books which made me think that the bartender was going to be important.
Dude, that sucks. Both the Paper Plus and Whitcoulls had really short, efficient lines, so I was in and out FAST. (It probably helped the mall was half empty, which I wasn't expecting. I guess it's either a) South Auckland or b) Sylvia Park and Botany stealing all the customers.)
And Dudley, yes! I think she handled that really well - it wasn't too much, or anything. And Percy, yes. I actually did Paul Gross Arms at the table when he turned up. And I kind of figured Draco couldn't end up being super evil, yeah -- he was always the small, venial type of nasty and then what with the fainting at the sight of blood thing he clearly wasn't going to turn into Dark Lord Mk II, but yeah, I definitely felt a LOT more sympathetic towards him than I had thought I would.
Ahh see I never thought of that. Dear god poor Ginny I hope they didn't have tooooo many more kids! ;)
I know what you mean about loving a character and being afraid. I LOVE hermione because lets face it i was 'an insufferable know-it-all' at school so I can relate. When the boy told me last week she was supposed to die I cried right there and then. So i'm glad Neville survived for you :)
I totally thought that about Hedwig too, it was too sudden. But I think it set the frenetic, almost brutal at times, tone for the rest of the book. Some of the violence stuff really upset me, it was quite dark but I am a big wuss. The scene with the muggle studies teacher in the first chapter, for example, yuck!
Although I was sucked in with the 'Harry was right, Dumbledore was wrong' vibe of the 6th book I was pleased in the end to be privy to the concrete reason why Dumbledore trusted Snape.
Poor Petunia, she wanted to be a witch too. I think Rowling does comedy better than her dramatic, complicated scenes but thats just me.
Overall its up there with PoA and HBP as my favourites, I just don't want it too be over.
I just discovered Accio Chocolate Cake doesn't work, thank goodness for half a bag of clinkers still :) yay
And oh, god, yes, although I figured Hermione was probably one of the safer ones, if only because I think I remember hearing that she's JKR's favourite, you know?
And, yes, I totally can't describe it that well, but the tone was certainly different.
I think it's up there with POA for me, yes. And I need to reread HPB, because I so don't remember much of it.
Oh, darn! Hee. I... god, I am hungry. I had coffee in line and a bowl of cereal and it's 6pm. Must be strong for another hour, Chris is coming over and we're getting fish and chips. \o/
I was SO terrified for Neville - as soon as she got to that bit where she specifically mentioned Nagini around Voldemort's shoulders outside the castle and people started coming out I KNEW that Neville would try for it, and I was so worried he'd get Nagini but that Voldemort would get Neville. And I pretty much spent the last fifty or so pages trying stop crying so I could, you know, SEE the pages. Heh. Fred absolutely gutted me, although I am very glad she didn't do the tacky thing of having George die as well.
Also - Dobby and Hedwig, oh my god, I kind of saw that coming (and I really thought Hagrid as well, because the entire series is pretty much a long run of "let's take away all of Harry's support systems!") but that really, really killed me.
Though I am super \o/ about a) having worked out the bartender at the Hog's Head was important years ago and b) something else I totally can't even remember now, but which I did see coming. Oh, and I loved that the pink earmuffs made a return in the middle of the battle. HEART. I got it about ten past eleven, drove home, and got a bowl of cereal and read, hee. It is much easier to read all in one go from NZ time than it was when we did the midnight release thing in Ireland, I must say. ;)
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I really truly thought neville was a goner too! He was so brave getting that sword. I had wondered if she'd twist the whole prophecy thing and bring neville in there somewhere so i'm glad he got to do something vital.
Hedwig was too quick for me, I was like 'what, um ok so hedwigs dead already,thats it?' so I didn't get emotionally involved but yeah Dobby was tough.
I would never in a million years have picked the bartender thing or that it was aberforth so go you!:)
I loved Dudley at the beginning and that Percy came back in the end. I felt a lot of empathy for draco which surprised me.
We didn't get home with ours till nearly 12 as stupid, dumb etc etc paper plus had the WORST queuing system ever! grrrrr.
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I LOVE Neville and have been pretty much terrified he was going to die, especially since OotP (I was almost relieved when it was Sirius, then. Heh.), so that made me happy, yeah.
I kept hoping Hedwig was going to be a false alarm, but it really seemed not after a while. Poor Harry...
Oh, I don't even remember how I picked it, yet, but there was something in one of the earlier books which made me think that the bartender was going to be important.
Dude, that sucks. Both the Paper Plus and Whitcoulls had really short, efficient lines, so I was in and out FAST. (It probably helped the mall was half empty, which I wasn't expecting. I guess it's either a) South Auckland or b) Sylvia Park and Botany stealing all the customers.)
And Dudley, yes! I think she handled that really well - it wasn't too much, or anything. And Percy, yes. I actually did Paul Gross Arms at the table when he turned up. And I kind of figured Draco couldn't end up being super evil, yeah -- he was always the small, venial type of nasty and then what with the fainting at the sight of blood thing he clearly wasn't going to turn into Dark Lord Mk II, but yeah, I definitely felt a LOT more sympathetic towards him than I had thought I would.
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I know what you mean about loving a character and being afraid. I LOVE hermione because lets face it i was 'an insufferable know-it-all' at school so I can relate. When the boy told me last week she was supposed to die I cried right there and then. So i'm glad Neville survived for you :)
I totally thought that about Hedwig too, it was too sudden. But I think it set the frenetic, almost brutal at times, tone for the rest of the book. Some of the violence stuff really upset me, it was quite dark but I am a big wuss. The scene with the muggle studies teacher in the first chapter, for example, yuck!
Although I was sucked in with the 'Harry was right, Dumbledore was wrong' vibe of the 6th book I was pleased in the end to be privy to the concrete reason why Dumbledore trusted Snape.
Poor Petunia, she wanted to be a witch too. I think Rowling does comedy better than her dramatic, complicated scenes but thats just me.
Overall its up there with PoA and HBP as my favourites, I just don't want it too be over.
I just discovered Accio Chocolate Cake doesn't work, thank goodness for half a bag of clinkers still :) yay
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And oh, god, yes, although I figured Hermione was probably one of the safer ones, if only because I think I remember hearing that she's JKR's favourite, you know?
And, yes, I totally can't describe it that well, but the tone was certainly different.
I think it's up there with POA for me, yes. And I need to reread HPB, because I so don't remember much of it.
Oh, darn! Hee. I... god, I am hungry. I had coffee in line and a bowl of cereal and it's 6pm. Must be strong for another hour, Chris is coming over and we're getting fish and chips. \o/
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