I enjoyed it. Immensely.
It seemed it would be a high feat to meet the anticipation for this book, but I felt it succeeded.
There seems to be a tendency to overanalyze the series due to its huge popularity, but the fact is the seven books are good stories with no more aspirations than to be good stories. I’m sure someone could pick apart the writing and plots to death if so inclined, but that’s missing the forest for the trees. There was an entertaining plot, characters I cared about, promotion of good values everyone believe in (courage, primarily), and then the x-factor that’s the indefinable quality Rowling brought to it all.
I’m sorry to see it all end, but then again, I now have the complete series to one day read to my children. That I look forward to.
Are we allowed to discuss it yet or are we still on “Spoilers=Banishment” watch?
[You can do spoilers in these comments. I’m still waiting for SarahK to finish the book so I’ll be allowed to turn on the news. I haven’t been able to watch any TV news since it was announced spoilers leaked since SarahK was afraid of someone on TV shouting “Snape killed Dumbledore” and spoiling the ending just as happened with her and the previous book. -Ed.]
Who dies?
[More than I can name off hand. It’s pretty bloody, actually. -Ed.]
Haven’t read it yet. I’m sure I will, because Rowling writes a damn good story; but for the now hype is terribly offputting and I feel the urge to once again plant my feet and pointedly NOT do what everyone else is doing.
What I’m waiting for is the last volume of the Sword of Truth Series, by Terry Goodkind. Brilliant set of books.
Deathly Hallows is a damned good book, and if you aren’t affected pretty strongly by some of the moments, you should just read nonfiction instead.
Cool. Well, mostly what I wanted to say was that I completely agree with your review. One of the most satisfying series endings I’ve ever read. Probably the best since Stephen King finished up his Dark Tower series. Now if only Robert Jordan would finish The Wheel of Time before he shuffles off that would be terrific.
Spoiler Alert!!! Don’t scroll down if you don’t want to know!!!
My only real beef with “The Deathly Hallows” was that I would have liked a little bit more information in the epilogue about the different characters, ie…
Did Harry, Ron and Hermione ever get to go back and take their 7th year of classes or did they complete some sort of Wizadry GED?
What did they all become? Aside from Neville, we don’t really know what everyone else’s jobs were. Did Harry ever become an Auror or a pro Quidditch Seeker?
Who ended up raising Teddy Lupin? Also, I would have liked to have known who killed Lupin and Tonks and how it went down. They were 2 fairly major characters after all.
After what happened did Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes continue to operate?
Did they ever find Mad-Eye?
Did the Malfoys ever have to face any kind of punishment for their involvement?
Whatever became of the Dursleys? Was there ever any kind of reconciliation, at least between Harry and Dudley the beginnings of which was kind of hinted at?
Bleh, too many questions, not enough answers.
Was the Ministry of Magic reconstructed?
Did Hermione go get her parents from Australia?
G Fresh:
SPOILERS
The Ministry clearly found Mad-Eye, since Dolores had his eye fastened to her office door.
I too would have like to learn more about the raising of Ted Lupin. And better closure with the Dursleys, especially after Dudley ended up not being such a prat.
I wanted more of the Malfoy’s.
I cannot recall: did it tell us what became of Dolores Umbridge? Scrimgeour died. Did Dolores? Or did she see the error of her ways?
John Edwards Fabulous Fact of the Day:
John Edwards was first in line at Wal-Mart to get his copy of Deathly Hallows. He rushed home and stayed up for 24 hours reading it so nobody could spoil it for him. The story brought tears to his eyes many times.
Rowling has the occasional turn of phrase that I absolutely love, like the one in Goblet of Fire about Percy Weasley standing up so much that he looked like he was trying to sit on a hedgehog, or the comment in this book that Hermione made about lawyers. I hate her use of the phrase “extra ____” (e.g. in GOF she said Harry’s wand was shaking “extra hard” which I thought was a bit too, I don’t know, 8th grade?)
I thought Rowling contradicted herself in several places, for one thing she’d already said on her website that once a Secret Keeper dies, people who know the secret still know it but can’t pass it on– yet somehow the secret of #12 Grimmauld Place could be passed on merely by being followed there during Apparition. And don’t get me started on the ground rules of Apparition– the Weasley’s house was so well protected that ANYBODY could Disapparate out of there in the middle of the wedding, but when Dumbledore went there in Half-Blood Prince, he had to walk a certain distance away from the house before he could Disapparate.
Still, I really liked it and I’m looking forward to reading it again, after my daughter finishes it, when I’m not half-asleep. I gave her “first dibs” on the book but I just couldn’t resist reading it while she slept.
SPOILERS!!!
Somebody asks who dies. In no particular order, the Muggle Studies teacher, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, Dobby, Snape, Colin Creevey, Mad-Eye Moody, Bathilda Bagshot, Rufus Scrimgeour, Bellatrix Lestrange, assorted Death Eaters… I’m sure I’ve forgotten a bunch. Oh, and of course Voldemort dies. Harry is a horcrux, Snape is good, the Deathly Hallows have nothing to do with the founders, and Hermione is a man (just kidding).
Wacky Hermit,
The reason everyone could Disapparate from the wedding is that, as I understood it, when the Ministry fell, the protections on the Weasley house fell, too.
I believe Crabbe dies as well (or maybe it was Goyle)
I’d have liked to see a nod towards a reconcilation between Harry and Dudley, some off-hand comment in the epilogue that Uncle D would be visiting at Christmas, or something like that.
Paleo, I’m with you. I still have Naked Empire and Chainfire and I believe one more to read before the ender to the series. Goodkind kicks ass. So does Jordan, who is ending The Wheel of Time in his final book. I can hardly wait!
At wRitErsbLock; I figured that about Mad-Eye, but I mean, what did they do with his body? Did they bury him or destroy it or what?
A couple new facts that I learned from this book; I didn’t realize Harry’s parents were so young when they died. They were both what, 21? I thought that they were both late 20s early 30s for some reason. That also means that Snape, Sirius, Lupin and Pettigrew were all supposed to be in there really early 30s when the books started. The movies have kind of really screwed up their ages with the casting job, meaning that my mind’s eye images of what these people look like is going to have to be re-evaluated the next time I read through the books.
I also didn’t realize that the events told in this series were set 10 years ago either.
Another little bit of “I wonder”; I wonder if after all the hubbub had died down if anyone ever told Professor Trelawney the major part she played in all of this with the prophecy she made.
Well, as for the ages, it sorta makes sense. Sirius was in Azkaban for 13 years, so he would look older than he was. Lupin lived as werewolf, which wore down his appearance, and Wormtail was living as rat in a state of fear that his secret would be discovered. If snape looks older than he should, its just because hes and ugly git (yes, I know, he’s a good guy, but still…)
I always wait for the paperback. Moonbunny can check it out of the library. In the meantime George RR Martin needs to kick Dance of Dragons in gear before I come hunt him down.
Okay, maybe I missed it but how did the Sword of Gryfindor wind up back in the Sorting Hat? Last I knew, the goblin who’d helped them break into Gringots grabbed it and boogied. My wife currently has the book so I can’t go back to it for the next few days to check (Wanna see a REAL basilisk stare? Try taking it from her for even a minute!).
But I really liked how she wrapped up the series. Thought it was well done.
Subvet,
It’s not explained directly that I recall, but I imagine the sword has enchantments on it that are not subject to the property concepts of goblins.
Subvet-It will appear to a true Gryffindor as mentioned in CoS in a time of great need no matter who (be it human or goblin) might have it at the time.
No One of Consequence and G Fresh,
Those answers make sense and I’ll admit to being a stickler for having everything tidily wrapped up with no gray areas. Thanks.
JUST FINNISHED!!!!!
I have questions……SPOILERS IN QUESTIONS (hope that covers my six)
1) love Luna, in the 19 years what happens to her?
(she becomes minister of magic maybe? lol)
2)who’s Victoire’s mom and dad? Is it Hermione’s and ron’s? (didn’t think Ron whould name his kid after his ‘friend’ vicky krum.
one quick point luna’s dad got a chapter but the epilogue was 5 pages?
It’s late or early here, maybe I think too much.
It’s just a book after all. (a great one though)
wish all you wizards, witches and muggles peace love and understanding,
ceann rua
Ok, peeps. I have some of your answers.
SPOILERS!!!
PaleoMedic, it lives up to the hype. It’s even better than Order of the Phoenix and Goblet of Fire. It is the best one yet.
cirby, Frank didn’t cry at all through the book. I, on the other hand, cried many times.
G Fresh, I’m thinking that Ron, Harry, and Hermione didn’t need to go back for their 7th year, because they have all the experience and wisdom they need to pass their N.E.W.T.s if they so desire to take them.
Tonks’s mother probably raised Teddy Lupin, though I was fully expecting Harry to do it. But Tonks was young, about 25, so her Mom was probably about the same age as Mrs. Weasley (Charlie’s about the same age as Tonks), so she’s probably not even 50 when Tonks dies. Or maybe Greyback raised him (just kidding).
Of Course Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes would have continued. Fred and George were still doing mail order WWWs, and Fred will have wanted it to continue without him. Lee Jordan will be George’s new partner.
The Ministry found Mad-Eye. That’s how Umbridge got his eye. They probably destroyed his body. I doubt the Ministry would take the time to bury such a troublemaker and an Order of the Phoenix member.
On the one hand, they should tell Trelawney that she kinda started the whole Harry Potter thing, but I also think it would be cruel. So much on one prophecy she doesn’t actually remember making.
As for the Malfoys… Narcissa lying and telling Voldemort that Harry was dead kinda gets her off the hook for me, and the whole time, book 6 and book 7, she was just trying to save her son anyway — but the clincher is helping Harry. Lucius can rot in Azkaban. Draco is possibly reformed (though not until after Harry has defeated his captor), considering his short nod to Harry and Ron at the end of the book.
MegaTroopX, Yes and yes. Kingsley is appointed temporary Ministry of Magic. In the epilogue, Percy’s blathering on about regulations. And Hermione said throughout the book that once the war was over and Voldemort was dead, she would be able to go retrieve her parents and put their memories back.
wRitErsbLock, there was no conclusion on Umbridge. I felt like she really needed a better comeuppance than just getting the locket stolen off her.
Wacky Hermit, when the Death Eaters took over the Ministry, they broke all the charms on the Weasley property (the ones that allowed everyone to Disapparate as well as the other protective charms). That’s why everyone could Disapparate anywhere within grounds, but not until after the Ministry was overthrown. That’s why Kingsley sent the lynx Patronus — to warn them that the Death Eaters were on their way.
Hedwig and Gerralt Grindelwald also die.
No One of Consequence, it is Crabbe.
shimauma. Wait for paperback? Does not compute.
ceannrua, Victoire has to be the offspring of Bill and Fleur. Cousin to Ron’s & Hermione’s kids, and who else would name their kid something so French, other than Fleur?
I heard that Rowling is now going to start a new fantasy series with John Edwards as the main character.
The first book: John Edwards and the Gay Closet.
Originally she was going to work on a Fred Thompson series first, with the initial book being Fred Thompson and the Beating of Hippies.
Unfortunately she gave up when she realized the book would be way too short and simple since no hippie could put up a fight against Fred Thompson.
“I now have the complete series to one day read to my children.”
Don’t be ridiculous. It’s impossible to read the entire series to children. By the time you get to the end of book 5, they’ll be old enough to vote.
Mrs. sarahk,
thank you ma’am for clearing that up. I feel dumb not thinking it was Bill and Fleur child. Thank you for your kind help. I bid you, your other half, and all the good folk here peace love and understanding
all the best
hey!frankj… all i heard was “my children”. that’s right! “my grandchildren”! yeah!
im en uR den
reedin uR boox
If Rowlings wants to graduate from being rich to being, well, Queen of England then she should do what Lucas did and take a cut off of hack fiction which answers some of the loose ends addressed in this thread here.
But I hear she’s going to work for The New Republic instead; they need the realism.