#92 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as well as previous books in the series. Hence the cut. 
Harry Potter has dropped out of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, but for good reason. Before Albus Dumbledore died he gave Harry the quest of finding and destroying the remaining horcruxes, or pieces of Voldemort's soul, scattered across the country. Even with the help of his closest friends, Ron and Hermione, Harry can't help but feel frustrated. Dumbledore gave him little instruction before dying, making his task near impossible, and when Harry discovers disturbing information about Dumbledore's past, he begins to doubt his former mentor. Meanwhile, Voldemort is slowly taking over wizarding world, including the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry knows that he must act fast, but is the truth behind destroying Voldemort in the horcruxes, or in the legendary Deathly Hallows?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the much hyped, eagerly anticipated seventh book in the Harry Potter series. It's also, in my humble opinion, the most uneven of the series. Although there are a few missteps early on, it fortunately manages to save itself quite nicely as the book continues.
Let's get the negative out of the way first. Back in 2007, I waited for this book with both excitement and dread. The reason for the excitement should be obvious. The dread was due to the fact that I couldn't picture a Harry Potter book where Hogwarts does not play a significant role. After reading the book twice, I have to admit that it does prove to be a bit of a problem. The everydayness of classes, exams and holidays provide a structure that seems to anchor the fantastic storyline. Without it, Deathly Hallows often feels as if it's lost its way. We'll have exciting sequences where Harry and friends infiltrate a the Ministry of Magic, or visit Godric's Hollow, but between these sequences are sections where the trio are just wandering aimlessly, which can make the book drag. This is a disappointment when compared the the previous books in the series, which are seamlessly plotted. Also, I understand that J.K. Rowling wanted to show us the reality of war, but some of the deaths (mainly, Remus and Tonks) seem as if she's just trying to add to the body count (someone has pointed out to me that my distaste may be more due to the fact that Lupin is my favorite character, and they may be right). Also, the abundance of typos was somewhat distracting.
But I don't want people to feel as that this is a bad book, as that's not the case. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a very satisfying conclusion to the epic Harry Potter Series. Rowling does a fantastic job picking up threads from the previous books, and weaving them into a fabulous finale. I really enjoyed seeing the return of old characters (including some unexpected faces- like Victor Krum) and I was impressed at the way she resolves certain themes. One being the belief that wizards of pure blood are superior to muggles, and non-human beings, and the consequences that arise from that belief. This is illustrated very well in the section which takes place in the Ministry of Magic. Another theme that gets a lot of attention is the struggle against death. Since Sorcerer's Stone, we have watched Voldemort as he has fought for immortality, and when we learned of the Horcruxes in Half-Blood Prince, we saw the extent that he would mutilate himself to achieve this immortality. Deathly Hallows, at it's core, is a book about death and resolves this theme well.
Another great thing about Deathly Hallows is it gives so many characters additional depth and development. Ron, who has always felt second best behind his family and Harry, finally confronts his insecurities. Snape, who has been painted as an antagonist from Harry's first potion lesson, shares his past. Here we discover that he is a more complex man than we imagined, who has tried to protect Harry not out of loyalty to Dumbledore, but out of devotion to Lily Potter, one of his oldest friends. Dumbledore, who has been viewed as a benevolent and wise old wizard, is knocked off of his pedestal. Here we see him first as a proud youth, and later as a brilliant tactician, willing to make difficult, and sometimes cruel, decisions for the greater good. Harry also is given extra layers. The wizarding world sees him as the almighty Chosen One, an inspiration for their fight against evil. But to us, the readers, Harry is not a paragon, but a flawed human being who makes mistakes and is often confused about the right thing to do. We watch as he struggles, struggles, and struggles to fulfill the task set before him, only to find death waiting for him at the end. In past books we've seen Harry as the poor orphan boy, the reluctant superstar, the rebellious teen, and Dumbledore's man. In Deathly Hallows, we see Harry at his most human, and in the end, his most heroic.
So, is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows an uneven book? Yes, but by the time the reader gets to the end, the flaws just seem to fade into the background. I am quite happy that I decided to re-read this book, and re-read the series. I'm sure that one day, I'll once again pick up these books that were such an important part of my adolescence and early adulthood. The Harry Potter Series has changed how the world views children and young adult literature, and it has certainly changed the way I view the fantasy genre.
Rating: four stars
Length: 757 pages
Source: shelf
Other books I've read by this author: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone ( my review), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ( my review), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ( my review), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ( my review), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ( my review), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ( my review) , Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch through the Ages, The Tales of Beedle the Bard ( my review)
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds
Harry Potter has dropped out of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, but for good reason. Before Albus Dumbledore died he gave Harry the quest of finding and destroying the remaining horcruxes, or pieces of Voldemort's soul, scattered across the country. Even with the help of his closest friends, Ron and Hermione, Harry can't help but feel frustrated. Dumbledore gave him little instruction before dying, making his task near impossible, and when Harry discovers disturbing information about Dumbledore's past, he begins to doubt his former mentor. Meanwhile, Voldemort is slowly taking over wizarding world, including the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry knows that he must act fast, but is the truth behind destroying Voldemort in the horcruxes, or in the legendary Deathly Hallows?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the much hyped, eagerly anticipated seventh book in the Harry Potter series. It's also, in my humble opinion, the most uneven of the series. Although there are a few missteps early on, it fortunately manages to save itself quite nicely as the book continues.
Let's get the negative out of the way first. Back in 2007, I waited for this book with both excitement and dread. The reason for the excitement should be obvious. The dread was due to the fact that I couldn't picture a Harry Potter book where Hogwarts does not play a significant role. After reading the book twice, I have to admit that it does prove to be a bit of a problem. The everydayness of classes, exams and holidays provide a structure that seems to anchor the fantastic storyline. Without it, Deathly Hallows often feels as if it's lost its way. We'll have exciting sequences where Harry and friends infiltrate a the Ministry of Magic, or visit Godric's Hollow, but between these sequences are sections where the trio are just wandering aimlessly, which can make the book drag. This is a disappointment when compared the the previous books in the series, which are seamlessly plotted. Also, I understand that J.K. Rowling wanted to show us the reality of war, but some of the deaths (mainly, Remus and Tonks) seem as if she's just trying to add to the body count (someone has pointed out to me that my distaste may be more due to the fact that Lupin is my favorite character, and they may be right). Also, the abundance of typos was somewhat distracting.
But I don't want people to feel as that this is a bad book, as that's not the case. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a very satisfying conclusion to the epic Harry Potter Series. Rowling does a fantastic job picking up threads from the previous books, and weaving them into a fabulous finale. I really enjoyed seeing the return of old characters (including some unexpected faces- like Victor Krum) and I was impressed at the way she resolves certain themes. One being the belief that wizards of pure blood are superior to muggles, and non-human beings, and the consequences that arise from that belief. This is illustrated very well in the section which takes place in the Ministry of Magic. Another theme that gets a lot of attention is the struggle against death. Since Sorcerer's Stone, we have watched Voldemort as he has fought for immortality, and when we learned of the Horcruxes in Half-Blood Prince, we saw the extent that he would mutilate himself to achieve this immortality. Deathly Hallows, at it's core, is a book about death and resolves this theme well.
Another great thing about Deathly Hallows is it gives so many characters additional depth and development. Ron, who has always felt second best behind his family and Harry, finally confronts his insecurities. Snape, who has been painted as an antagonist from Harry's first potion lesson, shares his past. Here we discover that he is a more complex man than we imagined, who has tried to protect Harry not out of loyalty to Dumbledore, but out of devotion to Lily Potter, one of his oldest friends. Dumbledore, who has been viewed as a benevolent and wise old wizard, is knocked off of his pedestal. Here we see him first as a proud youth, and later as a brilliant tactician, willing to make difficult, and sometimes cruel, decisions for the greater good. Harry also is given extra layers. The wizarding world sees him as the almighty Chosen One, an inspiration for their fight against evil. But to us, the readers, Harry is not a paragon, but a flawed human being who makes mistakes and is often confused about the right thing to do. We watch as he struggles, struggles, and struggles to fulfill the task set before him, only to find death waiting for him at the end. In past books we've seen Harry as the poor orphan boy, the reluctant superstar, the rebellious teen, and Dumbledore's man. In Deathly Hallows, we see Harry at his most human, and in the end, his most heroic.
So, is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows an uneven book? Yes, but by the time the reader gets to the end, the flaws just seem to fade into the background. I am quite happy that I decided to re-read this book, and re-read the series. I'm sure that one day, I'll once again pick up these books that were such an important part of my adolescence and early adulthood. The Harry Potter Series has changed how the world views children and young adult literature, and it has certainly changed the way I view the fantasy genre.
Rating: four stars
Length: 757 pages
Source: shelf
Other books I've read by this author: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone ( my review), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ( my review), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ( my review), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ( my review), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ( my review), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ( my review) , Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch through the Ages, The Tales of Beedle the Bard ( my review)
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds