I bought this book the day it came out. July, 21 2007. I finished it yesterday. Over a year later! Reason being, Jordan and I started reading it together, but it was very difficult to get together and read it. I don't know why. Maybe it was because we were sharing the book as opposed to having our own copies to follow along with. Regardless, the end was spoiled for Jordan via the "intronet" and we both agreed to read the second half separately. She finished reading it the following day (without my knowledge). To my astonishing surprise, I found out a week later and started reading it, finishing the book within a couple of days as well.
So, now I would like to give my thoughts. (Spoilers to those who have not read it--which would be no one.)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. As difficult as it is for me to recall on what I read sparingly throughout the past year, I do remember feeling like the story took a hell of a long time getting to anything interesting. Yes, things need to be said, but I honestly couldn't care less about Bill and Fleur's wedding. After that, it felt to me like the search for the Horcruxes took a long long time. Now, I know that this could be an illusion due to the fact that it took me, myself, over a year to get through them all, but still, even as I was reading, I remember getting a little exasperated with it.
Other than that, the book on was, for the most part, very pleasing. Unfortunately, I predicted pretty much everything that happened aside from the revival of Harry. I figured Snape was a good guy. I saw the high possibility that Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him (though I did not know why). I also predicted that Harry had become a Horcrux when Voldemort tried to killed him as a child, and that Harry would have to sacrifice himself to kill Voldemort. In all honesty, though, I did not think that it was actually going to turn out that way (though I was hoping so with Snape). And with that, it didn't turn out exactly the way I predicted. Voldemort had another Horcrux remaining after Harry's was destroyed, and as I said before, I never thought Harry would have been able to cheat death. I was also hoping the veil that Sirius passed through did not cause death like everyone had assumed. Jordan and I thought that Bellatrix Lestrange had not completed saying the killing curse and that he could possibly still be alive, but after watching the movie again last night, Bellatrix did say the whole spell.
I did, however, feel that the battle between Harry and Voldemort was very anticlimactic and was a little disappointed with that. I wanted the wizard duel of the century, only challenged by perhaps Dumbledore and Grindelwald's duel. Maybe the movie will change that up a bit and show us a little more fireworks, even though Harry probably doesn't have it in him just yet, which would explain the quick, mediocre battle which resulted in a deflection.
The book did a very good job at making me feel the depressing obstacles that awaited Harry and put me in Harry's shoes, making me realize how he must've felt knowing that his life in the world was about to end. It was very gloomy. The book also did a great job of throwing the trio into predicaments that felt as if they would be impossible to get out of (much like all of the Harry Potter books).
All in all, I was pretty pleased with the finale of the series. Voldemort loses. Good wins out and everyone's life turns for the better, aside from the death of so many loved ones throughout the books. Originally, I had been partially hoping for two of the latter endings. Harry either dies at the hand of Voldemort or Harry kills Voldemort, taking his place as the Dark Lord. But, alas, happy endings are always a good way to leave the reader with a happy feeling and that should never, in my book, be a complaint. And after thinking it through, I'd rather leave Harry a hero than a villain. Good job, J. K. Rowling! And as sad as it was to come to the final end, thank you for finishing the series like you said you would and not drowning us with an additional 50 worn out Harry Potter books.
9/10
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