When a book is released that is as much a cultural phenomenon as a literary event, it becomes difficult to objectively consider that book’s true quality. And, when you are already a fan, that makes objectivity that much harder! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is such a book, and I am certainly such a fan. The world had incredibly high expectations for Rowling and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Did she deliver or disappoint?
Book Seven of the Harry Potter series starts off with two quotes steeped in death, friendship and redemption. These quotes set the tone for the book remarkably well. No longer are Harry and his friends living in the whimsical days of their early years at Hogwarts. There is no longer room for the playful stylings of books 1-3, where spells gone awry lead to humorous results and one of the greatest dreads of The Boy Who Lived was whether he would catch a golden snitch in Quidditch. Our protagonists are now older, more mature and certainly far more wizened wizards and witches. The foe that has been held at bay for six books must now be faced with finality and drops of the wand are now deadly, not delightful.
From the first chapter, it is obvious this is no wearying “History of Magic” lecture we’ve wandered into. Emotion runs high and it is just a few pages before the death toll starts to rise. You realize with a shock that no one is safe and characters you loved may not make it to the end.
Let me confirm something you were probably show more expecting. The Deathly Hallows will occasionally make you laugh, but it will also make you cry. At one point, I was sobbing so hard I couldn’t catch my breath and almost made that “Mwaaaah,” sound of utter anguish. No matter the heartbreak, you must keep reading! This speaks volumes about how invested you will be in the story, and in turn, what a brilliant storyteller Rowling has become, over the course of seven books.
After leaving the Dursley’s one final – and surprisingly touching – time, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their own to find and destroy the remaining horcruxes – objects where Voldemort has stashed bits of his soul to ensure his survival. In the process, they also discover a new quest, for the mysterious “Deathly Hallows” of the book’s namesake.
Here is where my main criticism with the Deathly Hallows emerges. Harry and his friends are initially clueless as to where to find any of the horcruxes or hallows. For several chapters they wander aimlessly up and down the country, hiding out in the smelly magical tent from Goblet of Fire, trying to puzzle out locations while dealing with cold, hunger and isolation. Long periods of relative inactivity are punctuated with too-short times of intense action.
As they wander, the book wanders as well, leading me to wonder if quite a few pages couldn’t have been edited out. Several times I felt tempted to yell “Get on with it!” as they argued over who should be cooking camp grub With her psychological acuity, was this a literary device of Rowling’s? Were we meant to feel irritated by the meanderings, just as the characters were irritated by their initially fruitless and discouraging quest? Or, was this simply a case of poor editing?
The climax of The Deathly Hallows, and perhaps the entire series, is the battle for Hogwarts. The chapters encompassing this epic fight are some of the most enjoyable I have ever read. Hope and humor, bravery and valor beam from these pages like phoenix fire. Every character you ever loved – or hated – steps up to make their mark for good or evil. There are more deaths, no battle was fought without bloodshed, but they add poignancy and reality. And I must add, Mrs. Weasley performance proves she is an inspiration for mothers everywhere, wizard and muggle alike!
Is Snape evil or a hero? Predictions abound, but when you look into the past with his eyes, it is revelatory. You finally understand his motivation throughout the entire series and wonder how you could have ever questioned where his loyalties lay.
And then the prophecy comes to fruition. Over 4,000 pages since we first met Harry Potter in the cupboard under the stairs and the final face off takes place. The manner is most unexpected and we discover that sometimes it takes more courage to not draw a weapon than to fight.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ends. It has to. A wild ride like this couldn’t go on forever. I have heard the epilogue called “trite,” and “vague,” and even “exasperating.” When I first read it, I too craved more knowledge about Harry’s future than what was shared. That very vagueness however gives the book a sense of continuity, that even though you are closing the book, the characters really are living on within the covers.
From the moment he looked in the Mirror of Erised in the Sorcerer’s Stone, the only thing Harry wanted was a calm life, a normal life and a family. Being The Boy Who Lived was a responsibility thrust upon him and while some readers may feel he should be destined for greater things than fatherhood and cart full of owls at platform 9 and ¾, that was Harry’s ideal, his greatest desire. If you love Harry, how could you wish him any ending but this? show less
Book Seven of the Harry Potter series starts off with two quotes steeped in death, friendship and redemption. These quotes set the tone for the book remarkably well. No longer are Harry and his friends living in the whimsical days of their early years at Hogwarts. There is no longer room for the playful stylings of books 1-3, where spells gone awry lead to humorous results and one of the greatest dreads of The Boy Who Lived was whether he would catch a golden snitch in Quidditch. Our protagonists are now older, more mature and certainly far more wizened wizards and witches. The foe that has been held at bay for six books must now be faced with finality and drops of the wand are now deadly, not delightful.
From the first chapter, it is obvious this is no wearying “History of Magic” lecture we’ve wandered into. Emotion runs high and it is just a few pages before the death toll starts to rise. You realize with a shock that no one is safe and characters you loved may not make it to the end.
Let me confirm something you were probably show more expecting. The Deathly Hallows will occasionally make you laugh, but it will also make you cry. At one point, I was sobbing so hard I couldn’t catch my breath and almost made that “Mwaaaah,” sound of utter anguish. No matter the heartbreak, you must keep reading! This speaks volumes about how invested you will be in the story, and in turn, what a brilliant storyteller Rowling has become, over the course of seven books.
After leaving the Dursley’s one final – and surprisingly touching – time, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their own to find and destroy the remaining horcruxes – objects where Voldemort has stashed bits of his soul to ensure his survival. In the process, they also discover a new quest, for the mysterious “Deathly Hallows” of the book’s namesake.
Here is where my main criticism with the Deathly Hallows emerges. Harry and his friends are initially clueless as to where to find any of the horcruxes or hallows. For several chapters they wander aimlessly up and down the country, hiding out in the smelly magical tent from Goblet of Fire, trying to puzzle out locations while dealing with cold, hunger and isolation. Long periods of relative inactivity are punctuated with too-short times of intense action.
As they wander, the book wanders as well, leading me to wonder if quite a few pages couldn’t have been edited out. Several times I felt tempted to yell “Get on with it!” as they argued over who should be cooking camp grub With her psychological acuity, was this a literary device of Rowling’s? Were we meant to feel irritated by the meanderings, just as the characters were irritated by their initially fruitless and discouraging quest? Or, was this simply a case of poor editing?
The climax of The Deathly Hallows, and perhaps the entire series, is the battle for Hogwarts. The chapters encompassing this epic fight are some of the most enjoyable I have ever read. Hope and humor, bravery and valor beam from these pages like phoenix fire. Every character you ever loved – or hated – steps up to make their mark for good or evil. There are more deaths, no battle was fought without bloodshed, but they add poignancy and reality. And I must add, Mrs. Weasley performance proves she is an inspiration for mothers everywhere, wizard and muggle alike!
Is Snape evil or a hero? Predictions abound, but when you look into the past with his eyes, it is revelatory. You finally understand his motivation throughout the entire series and wonder how you could have ever questioned where his loyalties lay.
And then the prophecy comes to fruition. Over 4,000 pages since we first met Harry Potter in the cupboard under the stairs and the final face off takes place. The manner is most unexpected and we discover that sometimes it takes more courage to not draw a weapon than to fight.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ends. It has to. A wild ride like this couldn’t go on forever. I have heard the epilogue called “trite,” and “vague,” and even “exasperating.” When I first read it, I too craved more knowledge about Harry’s future than what was shared. That very vagueness however gives the book a sense of continuity, that even though you are closing the book, the characters really are living on within the covers.
From the moment he looked in the Mirror of Erised in the Sorcerer’s Stone, the only thing Harry wanted was a calm life, a normal life and a family. Being The Boy Who Lived was a responsibility thrust upon him and while some readers may feel he should be destined for greater things than fatherhood and cart full of owls at platform 9 and ¾, that was Harry’s ideal, his greatest desire. If you love Harry, how could you wish him any ending but this? show less