Yay For Target
So, this weekend, on Saturday I went to Target to pick up some household objects, and there, sitting next to the gum by the checkout counter, was twenty or so copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a book that had gone on sale the day before and was undoubtedly sold out in most bookstores.
So, of course, I picked it up and read it this weekend.
It wasn't bad. It wasn't the best thing ever, but I certainly enjoyed it, and it was a fitting end to the series. And I was pleased that some of my speculations regarding the penultimate book were true. I think the fans will be pleased. Even the sexy fic writers -- without getting too spoilery, just pay attention to the lines that get thrown around regarding the Polyjuice Potion.
My only real complaint is you almost need to reread all the previous books or have Wikipedia handy to read it. They assume (rightfully, but still) you're a fan, and so the names of old characters come fast and hard with no preamble. There were a few times where I was like: "Who's that again? I'm sure this would have more resonance if I remembered who that was." I suggest brushing up on the list of characters, but beware spoilers, as Wikipedia has already been updated with details from the latest book.
There's still that video game element of "Find the Horcruxes" and later "Find the Hallows", but generally the plot is twisty enough that it doesn't feel that way, which is good. Harry Potter is still an overly-angsty teen, but he gets over it relatively early, so I don't get as bored with it as I have in previous books.
In any case, discussing certain other aspects of the book is spoiler-riffic, so I'm going to do that HTML spoiler trick. Highlight to see the spoilers! Though really these comments are aimed at people who've already read the book as well.
So, the body count starts early, with the death of "Madeye" Moody. I appreciated that.
I was actually sad to see Dobby go. Sure, he was annoying at first, but I liked him as "Pimpin' Dobby" after he was freed, and his rescue scene was awesome, complete with foreshadowing regarding what House Elves can do that Wizards don't realize.
The siege on Hogwarts was good. It could have been more bloody, but it was just bloody enough not to annoy me.
I have to admit that I'm mildly disappointed that Harry survived. Sure, I expected it, but with the exposure of Dumbledore's machinations and dark past, I had some hope that Rowling might be brave enough to kill him off in order to kill Voldemort. That said, the magic that more or less saves him and his remaining friends, having been foreshadowed since Book 1, is pretty good, and fits with the ongoing "all you need is love" theme of the series.
And speaking of themes of the books, I was pleased that what I'd been saying all along about Snape killing Dumbledore was true: Dumbledore knew he was dying, so he ordered Snape to do it, in part to save Draco Malfoy. That fact, and the story of his unrequited love for Lily Potter, fits with the ongoing theme of the series that Snape, while certainly flawed, is nowhere nearly as bad as he seems to the kids. It also fits with the theme that House Slytherin isn't necessarily "House Evil", though it's pretty clear in the book that it comes pretty damn close.
Speaking of which, while Draco is hardly redeemed, you can see that his heart really isn't in the Death Eaters cause. I liked his half-assed semi-redemption, and that of Dudley as well: There's a certain realism to those that I appreciated.
And on the flipside, I liked seeing that Dumbledore wasn't perfect either. "For the Greater Good", indeed. Dumbledore always struck me as a little too good, albiet rather smug, and its good to see the more human side of him in this book, even if it's a little belated at this point.
So, of course, I picked it up and read it this weekend.
It wasn't bad. It wasn't the best thing ever, but I certainly enjoyed it, and it was a fitting end to the series. And I was pleased that some of my speculations regarding the penultimate book were true. I think the fans will be pleased. Even the sexy fic writers -- without getting too spoilery, just pay attention to the lines that get thrown around regarding the Polyjuice Potion.
My only real complaint is you almost need to reread all the previous books or have Wikipedia handy to read it. They assume (rightfully, but still) you're a fan, and so the names of old characters come fast and hard with no preamble. There were a few times where I was like: "Who's that again? I'm sure this would have more resonance if I remembered who that was." I suggest brushing up on the list of characters, but beware spoilers, as Wikipedia has already been updated with details from the latest book.
There's still that video game element of "Find the Horcruxes" and later "Find the Hallows", but generally the plot is twisty enough that it doesn't feel that way, which is good. Harry Potter is still an overly-angsty teen, but he gets over it relatively early, so I don't get as bored with it as I have in previous books.
In any case, discussing certain other aspects of the book is spoiler-riffic, so I'm going to do that HTML spoiler trick. Highlight to see the spoilers! Though really these comments are aimed at people who've already read the book as well.
So, the body count starts early, with the death of "Madeye" Moody. I appreciated that.
I was actually sad to see Dobby go. Sure, he was annoying at first, but I liked him as "Pimpin' Dobby" after he was freed, and his rescue scene was awesome, complete with foreshadowing regarding what House Elves can do that Wizards don't realize.
The siege on Hogwarts was good. It could have been more bloody, but it was just bloody enough not to annoy me.
I have to admit that I'm mildly disappointed that Harry survived. Sure, I expected it, but with the exposure of Dumbledore's machinations and dark past, I had some hope that Rowling might be brave enough to kill him off in order to kill Voldemort. That said, the magic that more or less saves him and his remaining friends, having been foreshadowed since Book 1, is pretty good, and fits with the ongoing "all you need is love" theme of the series.
And speaking of themes of the books, I was pleased that what I'd been saying all along about Snape killing Dumbledore was true: Dumbledore knew he was dying, so he ordered Snape to do it, in part to save Draco Malfoy. That fact, and the story of his unrequited love for Lily Potter, fits with the ongoing theme of the series that Snape, while certainly flawed, is nowhere nearly as bad as he seems to the kids. It also fits with the theme that House Slytherin isn't necessarily "House Evil", though it's pretty clear in the book that it comes pretty damn close.
Speaking of which, while Draco is hardly redeemed, you can see that his heart really isn't in the Death Eaters cause. I liked his half-assed semi-redemption, and that of Dudley as well: There's a certain realism to those that I appreciated.
And on the flipside, I liked seeing that Dumbledore wasn't perfect either. "For the Greater Good", indeed. Dumbledore always struck me as a little too good, albiet rather smug, and its good to see the more human side of him in this book, even if it's a little belated at this point.