First Thoughts on the Final Installment

[valancy_s]

Since I had to work Saturday, I didn't start the book till later than most people. I finished last night around 10 (could have been earlier but I thought, what am I going to do with myself until bedtime if it's done? So I kept the final chapter to read before bed).

Comments

[valancy_s]

Poor, pretty Hedwig. She deserved better. But I wasn't as mad as I would have been if it had been Crookshanks.

[snarkhunter]

I was thinking it was going to make a great movie...but only if that movie were 3 hours long.

I know what you mean about the epigraphs--they had me totally freaked out. I thought for sure Ron & Hermione or Harry were toast. Which goes to show you that I'm not always *that* careful of a reader.

Oddly, I never cried while reading it. I think, though, that that's b/c I was running on pure adrenaline, and it left no room for tears. I was too tired, and too hyped-up, to cry.

[valancy_s]

I was thinking it was going to make a great movie...but only if that movie were 3 hours long.

More like a 6-hour miniseries, I'd say. I think OOTP made for such a good movie because the story's almost all build-up, punctuated with minor action, culminating in one great climactic sequence. DH, like GOF (the weakest movie IMO) is all HUGE ACTION SEQUENCE! downtime. HUGE ACTION SEQUENCE! downtime. Repeat, repeat, repeat. I can't imagine a theatrical film jamming in the Seven Harrys, the Wedding Brouhaha, the Ministry Infiltration, Malfoy Manor, Godric's Snake-Infested Hollow, the Pond of Swordiness, the Great Gringotts Break-In AND a hundred-page final battle into one movie and still managing to include backstory & character development. And how much can they cut without losing the thread of the story? Steve Kloves' head is probably exploding right about now.

I knew I was in trouble when...

[thismightbejess]

I started getting all teary-eyed in the very beginning of the book with the Dursleys scene. I was not at all expecting Dudley to care about Harry... and I certainly didn't expect to care about Dudley! Shocking!

And I think that scene set the tone for the book perfectly.

Re: I knew I was in trouble when...

[valancy_s]

After Voldie mentioned a new source on Order activity to Snape in the first chapter, I got so paranoid (I may have already been a bit keyed up, I think!) I started suspecting everybody who acted the teensiest bit out of character as being under the Imperious curse. I remember thinking "Aww, Dudley cares! *sniff* Who ever would have thought that Dud--HEY!" Quite ridiculous, I know.

It's funny, it never occurred to me that Dumbledore's portrait could be a source of information to Snape. Wasn't counting on them keeping a painting in the loop, I guess.

[meganquinlan]

Okay, now I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who cried! What made me cry?
1. The Prince's Tale
2. Snape's Patronus
3. Albus SeverusPotter

[valancy_s]

I'm getting the impression from that list that maybe you like Snape. Huh.

I'm pretty sure you and I were not the only ones to cry. But perhaps you shouldn't take comfort from me, since I suffer (to a lesser degree, thank goodness) from my sister's Perpetual Crying Syndrome. My face was wet for large portions of the book, but the more serious tears came at the parts mentioned above - and at a few small moments when someone really proved their strength or loyalty (like Neville in Chapter 29).

[fair_terentia]

Agree about Neville and Luna's futures. Personally I am suddenly and inexplicably shipping Draco/Luna. Which is worrying.

I was also worried about the sorting in the Epilogue. I loved the moment after the battle when everyone was sitting wherever in the Great Hall but then it was back to normal 19 years later. *later*