It was in some places brilliant and other places left me wanting more - but on the whole well done.
I think I've cried a ton over this book - which is weird for me.
In my head, I think I'll go the route of you didn't see the body - so he's not dead -- not dead, dead like Fred (whose body we see) or Tonks or Lupin (who we got to see as a ghost). I can play it off that he was only unconscious, cause well Arthur survived her bite, he can too!
True, true - I think a closed canon provides more opportunities for denial and AUs and reinterpretations, honestly. Because now we've seen the full arc of where JKR went, so we can go freely into the beyond without worrying about being crossed any further.
I am also a big ol' fan of the Trio--especially in this book. But what I do like about Ginny is that I think she gets the Trio's relationship (sometimes more than they themselves do) & she doesn't force herself into it. She's a keen observer, I think, & she understands how terrifically important Ron & Hermione are to Harry, & don't ever see her being a jealous wife about that, which I think is cool
( ... )
I was frustrated by Ginny's role, because it seemed she was so often on the verge of getting the chance to do something really cool, and then getting shunted off. I'm just still not convinced by her and Harry's relationship - it feels like a narrative convenience still, rather than a real passion between people. By contrast, I really believed in Ron/Hermione this time around - I got sold on that, on them having at last a real prickly but ardent courtship.
You're right about Ginny's understanding of the Trio, though. OK, I'm not theoretically opposed to OT4s anymore than OT3s (except 4ways w/incest - hard sell, man, hard sell. XD)
I was very moved by that too, in the epilogue. Though why does Harry always realize these things TOO LATE? Because he's human, that's why, I suppose. (I really do want to see fic with ickle A.S. having chats with his namesakes' portraits.)
Neville was MADE OF WIN, as he has been since PoA.
Also, it bugged me not so much that Remus and Tonks were killed off as that their deaths seemed so cursory.
I didn't even realise they'd died until several pages later. More should have been given to them, especially Remus.
The epilogue is total meh
I was rather bored by the romantic themes in the books - other than the James/Lily/Snape triangle, none of it was necessary to the plot.
I'm glad Draco wasn't really reformed (though I'm sure Draco fans will argue otherwise) - I was the victim of way too many Dracos in school to have any love at all for the character. However, I did like his parents' concern for him - it made them a bit more realistic. In the end, Draco was more important than Voldemort.
It's not even REALLY about those of us on the "Trust Snape" side getting vindicated--though sadly and bitterly, as though it could have gone any other way.He was just far too engaging a character to have been so one-sided. And it fits in with the idea that what Voldemort couldn't understand at all - love - would be his undoing. (
( ... )
YES! I've never been a huge Malfoy fan, but I liked the way that both Narcissa and Lucius revealed by their behavior that when push came to shove, neither really gave a shit about Voldemort, they were concerned only with their son. That whole twist with the Elder Wand was quite the mindfuck, eh?
As for the romance themes...well, JKR is really good at agape and filios but she's no great shakes with eros. (That's where fandom comes in! XD)
LIberated! Exactly. Now, I feel, we get to freely choose the point at which our paths branch off from canon, not just being bound to whatever the most recent book was. And there is still a whole vast world full of unresolved mystery, AUs aside.
"And Harry, if you happen to see that Snape guy... oh, never mind." (Snape/Petunia, anyone?)
Yes!!
I also want lots of kid!Snape & Lily & Petunia fic.
I'm also glad she paid some much-needed attention to Ravenclaw-- my own Hogwarts House. The more I read of history and the Gray Lady backstory and the Lovegood family, the more of myself I could recognize.
I thought the quality of the writing was appalling, but I share the feeling of liberation. There are so many and gaping loopholes that we may do pretty well as we please. There is no real evidence of Snape's definitive demise. And Trio shipping feels quite possible.
I thought the quality of the writing was...typical JKR. Some things are brilliant, some go thud, some go huh? I don't feel let down because I expected it. But I thought she did do a better job with the relationships of the teenage characters overall in this book than in HBP.
I agree with you totally about the loopholes and also, she left a LOT of threads still dangling.
"Ravenous?" YEah, it's a possibility. I always did have the rest of it pretty well plotted out, and it has nothing to do really with any of the books. It was written between GoF and OotP - I kind of feel that now that the series is complete, fanwriters can choose any point in the series to branch off into AU and they're all equalized now. And that makes me happy. :)
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It was in some places brilliant and other places left me wanting more - but on the whole well done.
I think I've cried a ton over this book - which is weird for me.
In my head, I think I'll go the route of you didn't see the body - so he's not dead -- not dead, dead like Fred (whose body we see) or Tonks or Lupin (who we got to see as a ghost). I can play it off that he was only unconscious, cause well Arthur survived her bite, he can too!
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You're right about Ginny's understanding of the Trio, though. OK, I'm not theoretically opposed to OT4s anymore than OT3s (except 4ways w/incest - hard sell, man, hard sell. XD)
I was very moved by that too, in the epilogue. Though why does Harry always realize these things TOO LATE? Because he's human, that's why, I suppose. (I really do want to see fic with ickle A.S. having chats with his namesakes' portraits.)
Neville was MADE OF WIN, as he has been since PoA.
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Neville is always made of win. :D
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I didn't even realise they'd died until several pages later. More should have been given to them, especially Remus.
The epilogue is total meh
I was rather bored by the romantic themes in the books - other than the James/Lily/Snape triangle, none of it was necessary to the plot.
I'm glad Draco wasn't really reformed (though I'm sure Draco fans will argue otherwise) - I was the victim of way too many Dracos in school to have any love at all for the character. However, I did like his parents' concern for him - it made them a bit more realistic. In the end, Draco was more important than Voldemort.
It's not even REALLY about those of us on the "Trust Snape" side getting vindicated--though sadly and bitterly, as though it could have gone any other way.He was just far too engaging a character to have been so one-sided. And it fits in with the idea that what Voldemort couldn't understand at all - love - would be his undoing. ( ( ... )
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As for the romance themes...well, JKR is really good at agape and filios but she's no great shakes with eros. (That's where fandom comes in! XD)
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I dunno. I thought that kiss between Ron and Hermione was brilliant. The segue from saving the house-elves! Sweeeeeet.
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Yay, all the other shoes have finally dropped. Also feeling liberated.
Petunia, of all people. What was she thinking when she walked away?
"And Harry, if you happen to see that Snape guy... oh, never mind." (Snape/Petunia, anyone?)
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"And Harry, if you happen to see that Snape guy... oh, never mind." (Snape/Petunia, anyone?)
Yes!!
I also want lots of kid!Snape & Lily & Petunia fic.
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Yes! Snape is just so awesome. *loves*
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I'm also glad she paid some much-needed attention to Ravenclaw-- my own Hogwarts House.
The more I read of history and the Gray Lady backstory and the Lovegood family, the more of myself I could recognize.
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Finish the "Ravenous" series? Wow! Yes, please.
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I agree with you totally about the loopholes and also, she left a LOT of threads still dangling.
"Ravenous?" YEah, it's a possibility. I always did have the rest of it pretty well plotted out, and it has nothing to do really with any of the books. It was written between GoF and OotP - I kind of feel that now that the series is complete, fanwriters can choose any point in the series to branch off into AU and they're all equalized now. And that makes me happy. :)
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