Deathly Hallows is dark and bloody, but then again what do you expect with Voldermort kicking around?
Like everyone else who has the smallest smidgen of enjoyment of Harry Potter I was looking forward to reading the last of the series (allegedly). In fact, I received Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at noon today and promptly sat down and read it cover to cover in one sitting. This 600-page fantasy reads rather well, it has to be said, flowing nicely along at a good pace. It's dark and bloody, but then again what do you expect with Voldermort kicking around?…
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— go to most recent comments26 - Beth
I forgot to add, Rowling is definitely not Tolkien. Show a little respect to JRR Tolkien, please don't compare The Lord of The Rings Trilogy to the Harry Potter series. My daughter loves Harry Potter and I'm grateful to Rowling that she's reading rather than playing video games. But please, read LOTR, all three of them. Tokien is a genius, Rowling is a best-selling author. Big difference.
27 - ExSoul
Well, first things first, some people should not that the UK, Australian and most other countries' versions of the book are 608 pages long. The US and Canadian versions are 759. Its all in the size of the book and the text size. (Americans can't read little writing I guess...)
As for the book, I thought that it was just...lacking. I thought that it just felt rushed, not fast paced, as much as JKR wanting it to be over. Some of the ideas also seemed a bit unbelievable. I mean, so far, the first 6 books have all been really plausible, yet ... An unbeatable Wand? A stone that brings people back to life? I just find it a stretch, even for a HP book. Some of this is hard to put into words.
Compared to the other novels it was just far-fetched. With all the other novels, I haven't wanted them to end when they did, this one I was ready to put down and be done with when it finished. I just didn't really like it. But that is just me.
28 - Kaonashi
Egbert, even if people don't read the review, there's a comment preview on the side bar. Shorter, one-sentence comments like the one regarding Dobby appear in its entirety to everyone of that sidebar.
29 - Lulu Fritzenberg
I thought the epilogue seemed rushed and I felt annoyed that we only find out about Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Draco, and Neville. I would have liked to have known what happened right after the war and how the wizarding communtiy had returned. I enjoy leaving SOME things to the imagination but not everything. Overall, I think the book was well written but it was not as well written as the sixth book. It felt rushed and certain parts were confusing. I did not think all of it was predictable. I disagree on that part. Parts of it I felt were written so that the world be satisfied. Satisfying does not mean realistic.
30 - louis
this book was brilliant, it got my heart racing, wondering all the time what was going to happen...all the deaths were neccessary, like j.k said we're dealing with supreme evil there has to be sacrifices, the 'tainting' of dumbledore was so interesting and the malfoys turn around was nice...did find the kings cross chapter slightly odd tho. didnt think it was rushed just amazingly well paced and racy in parts! it was weirdly satisfying having questions answered but being presented with a new challenge of the deathly hallows...epilogue was really good, people have to reread it to get more of an accurate view, cmon its only been out 2 days or so, ppl who have finishd it will have rushed parts, i know i did
31 - STM
Rowling says she may write another one for charity. So it ain't over till the fat lady sings.
32 - natalia
I think that what the final book lacked was not who died or how plausible an unbeatable wand is. Part of the magic of the series is having it mostly set in and around Hogwarts. Hogwarts made the plot and characters shimmer just a little more. Also, the plot got a little repititive. It seemed like the whole time, the trio (Harry, Ron, & Hermione) were just travelling aimlessly, and getting attacked over and over again (which was unsatisfying.) However, I thoroughly enjoyed being reunited with all of my favorite characters once again. All in all, I loved the series, and the epilogue made me smile at the idea that Harry Potter finally got what he deserved: a family of his own.
33 - vhinz
I guess Rowling's right about saying that a lot would hate the last book. But who cares? Some really hated the book cause they didn't expect what they expected to see. A lot wants those who had died are not really dead and then will help Harry and somehow Harry will end up dead in the end and we will be mourning in the rest of our lives. That I think would be very predictable.
hedwig and dobby died huhuhu...
34 - JDT Potterfan
Overall, this was a great book. Was it the best? Maybe, maybe not. That is a personal opinion.
I agree with natalia in the fact that it seemed a little repetitive with just Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But is it possible that this was just to show the lonely feeling that they themselves were experiancing?
I also agree that the deaths were necessary. This is afterall open warfare and some deaths don't occur because they are conveniant to everyone else.
I also loved the fact that Harry didn't die, however i am a little confused to as why, the Kings Cross chapter was a little weird.
The epilogue was pretty good. I think it left a happy feeling for an ending, however 19 years seems like a long time. I hoped they'd talk about the immidiate events following Voldemorts death.
All in all, considering that it had to end, a great final book to a great series.
35 - kassie
i thought the book was awsome! i loved it. i was glad harry didn't die and i liked how j.k. rowling wrote the 19 year later bit. the one thing i really didn't like was fred dying. i was also a little sad that snape died right before harry found out what side he was on.
36 - EthelHallow
A bit dissapointed. For most of the book Harry is running around like Frodo Baggins with this evil object around his neck that he must destroy and which also puts him in a bad mood. If I wanted to read lord of the rings again, I would read lord of the rings. Then he kept getting into impossible to escape from situations only to be saved just in the nick of time by some magical twist or random savior. It was all just a little too convenient. Very deus ex machina at times. I missed Hogwarts during the wandering Frodo part of the book and was happy when they finally got there. SPOILER - The ending was predictable - very christ story - the hero who gives his life to save the world from evil and is resurrected from the dead. We've all heard this story before. It's a nice myth that people keep telling over and over in different ways - Aslan, Frodo, Luke Skywalker. I guess I was just hoping for something new. Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials is a much more refreshing read.
37 - WhoamI
A sprawling mess with more holes than a block of Emmentaler cheese. I gave up on the characters after HBP but the storyline collapsed under the weight of all the loose ends this time, as well.
Ask yourself this question after reading the book: How great was the danger to Harry from Voldemort in books 5-6? That's a key plot point, but the sheer confusion it raises is just beginning of this books problems.
The epilogue is, in a single, highly understated word, "unconvincing."
38 - Inorandum
Some people above have claimed voldemort to be a bit weak to his reputation, making stupid decisions... but i'm sure that this reputation was greatly built up over the course of thirteen years, don't you? Even with that he is still fairly sinister and obviously very skilled in magic, hence the duel right before harrys, three on one with a not quite functioning wand? I think voldemort is exactly what id expect from an evil genius that is being thawrted and agitated by a young boy, revenge is in his head, he can't think clearly
39 - EthelHallow
speaking of the Christ story before Harry is "resurrested" he even does a little time on the "cross" - King's Cross that is. oi
40 - Egbert Sousé
K, if people are so concerned, they don't need to be online. Some of us aren't addicted to the 'Net.
"How great was the danger to Harry from Voldemort in books 5-6?"
Uh, did you read Book One. Harry was never in any danger. It was always the people around him. It's not Rowling's fault you don't pay attention. Still waiting to hear the plot holes.
41 - domonic
I thought the last book was great weather or not being the best is up to every ones opinion but I thought if it wasn't the best it was very close. I beleive that the book was written very well very much in the way the series has always been written so I don't understand peoples dislike of the way it was done the only thing that she should have changed was the future story I would have liked to have heard more for example about the dursleys, the other weaslys and what the main characters were doing in there life except for breeding. One of the most interesting part of the story for me was actually in the past hearing about Dumbledour and Snape and the amazing forsight Dumbledour had always shown in the story. Another impresive part of the story was that harry actualy seemed to have the athority and the wizardry knowledge that he lacked in past books in stead of being a brat. 9/10 I couldn't put it down.
42 - Salem of the Bad Bloods
Somehow, by the end of the seventh book, I found myself hating all of the main characters.
Hermione, not as whiny as she usually is? Ha. Her only purpose in this installment of the series was to place charms and carry a beaded purse. Ron? I can't place my finger on it yet, but something about him made my opinion change. He quickly became my least favorite of any character in the series. I didn't enjoy Rowling's take on Ginny in both the sixth and seventh books. It seemed she had no flaws whatsoever. She was great at Quidditch, made some of the top grades in her year, was an amazing witch in her own right... I began tiring of hearing about her. Though I did occasionally become irritated with Harry, he remained an overall okay person.
But Rowling managed to, as the Deathly Hallows drew to a close, make Snape, Kreacher, and Malfoy my most favorable of the cast. How? I'm still scratching my head on that one.
The book's epilogue was one of the weakest ends to a story I've ever known. Not only was every cliche known to mankind thrown in just for good measure, but I've never read a more sappy ending in my life. Ginny and Harry naming their children after dead adults? Wow. I've never seen someone end a book like that before. (Sarcasm, dear people.) Perhaps she should have just left the epilogue out? I felt that the last actual chapter would have been much better ending and would have left more to the reader's imagination.
*Need I remind those of you that I have just angered that this is only one person's opinion, and that attacking me with claims of "The last book was awesome, how could you write a review this stupid?" will not change it? ^_^*
43 - devin
Since spoilers are everywhere in this comment page, I won't mind talking about it. Harry's would-be death had been premeditated since the fourth book (since book one, since the author knew how it would end); it's not a cop-out, it makes perfect sense when you take the books as a whole. There is genius in the book, not just "a best-selling author," whatever that means.. The book is worth every cent if a HP fan buys it. The epilogue is weak, though not worth all of the harsh words since the rest of the book was great.
44 - Kaonashi
Egbert, I don't quite see what being addicted to the internet has anything to do with being concerned about spoilers.
45 - rebbs
fuck all you annoying ass fucks dissing and complaining about everything!!!
YOU try writing something as insanely creative as jk rowling did in her
amazing imagination!!
may snape r.i.p after alll her been through in his life and dedication to dumbeldore
46 - Lairy fights
Hmm...well, letz see, i wud call it a good story.... however, not the true one..... it seems like it was meant to be a different one, however, ended up being an altogether different one....
She finally ended it like any other children's tale...dint she??!!.... good beats evil, lord of the rings meets narnia..... i jus think something's amiss...
i cudnt help but feel that sense of nostalgia, of goin away, of wistful thinking of days past, of the memories while reading the epilogue.... so it was altogether a thotful, intelligent, mesmerising and engaging book, but i repeat again, not the one it was meant to be...
i also find that some characters and events just went away unnoticed, like she dint reveal their roles ...sirius for eg.... what was the veil in the dept of mysteries abt???...etc etc etc.....
i kwn at places my faults lie, i speculated too much, read fanfics, theorized... had i not, then some of the mysteries would hv still remained mysteries.... but of course, the book's very mch worth it.... and i love Harry Potter and J.K.Rowling for writing it, as much as i always did....
47 - Kirstie
I loved the book on the whole, but it did seem quite different from the rest of them. It may have been the lack of the Hogwarts setting, but it felt like the book didn't really start until 15 chapters in, aside from the duel at the beginning.
One thing that I was afraid of, and which the reviewer mentions, was that JK Rowling was going to write the book in the way that would be easiest to transform it into a movie script. I always adored her description of the characters thoughts, and the magic that they were producing and just the overall setting of it, but it seemed like some of that element was missing.
Also, I thought the '19 years later' chapter was almost out of place and awkward, and confusing... with all the names. Cute though, good to know who ended up marrying who :P :).
Maybe I should just reread the book though, so I can fully digest it all :)
Don't get me wrong though...
I absolutely LOVED THE BOOK.<3
(I don't even know if that all makes sense... It's 2:00 in the morning, and I'm tired. lol)
48 - David Hopkins
For people commenting that some of the characters were flawed, that's a good thing!! Throughout the whole series Harry was an irritating character who often got it wrong, was extremely egotistical and in his moments of triumph had gotten very lucky but that's actually the appeal of the series, harry was a young celebrity within the wizarding world and elements of his character were tarnished by this status. Dumbledore, previously presented to us as some kind of deity was actually power hungry. Even Voldemort suffered from ignorance that was eventually his downfall. The best book in the series by far and even though it makes me sound very pretentious, i think it is an excellent piece of not just entertainment but Literature. (To add to my own self importance, i've a phD in Eng Lit so i feel like im allowed by a wee bit dismissive of some of the tripe above)
Although to the 3 strikes guy talking about the number of pages in the book, hilariously American, loved it.
49 - Marty Dodge
Wow I am getting trashed because I said my book is 600 pages long which it is...thankfully a commenter pointed out in the comments like I have that the book is not the same length in all territories due to font size and page size. Before you make this kind of criticism check your facts maybe?
As far as the Tolkien comment you missed my point. I was trying to explain that like Tolkien, Rowling has found a formula that both adults and children can enjoy at different levels.
50 - Becky T
On the whole I found this book very disappointing, being an obssessive hp fan, I was totally geared up for another amazing installment. But I was let down, I found the new book confusing, even though I have now read it through twice, I thought that instead of tying up loose ends J.K created many new ones.
The plot wasn't bad, it was interesting if not predictable, I thought that Snape made the book come alive towards the end. Without him the end would have been anti-climatic and predictable. It's just a bit disappointing that Severus died before Harry found out where his allegiences lay.
I thought that every death was necessary, but all were rushed, Voldemort's death was about four lines long. I hated the chapters about Dumbledore, I'm upset that instead of laying him to rest she dragged his name through the mud.
The 'Nineteen Years Later' was confusing, and had some gaping holes in it. What happened to the Weasleys??? What about Hagrid and Madame Maxime's relationship??? Viktor Krum??? How did the Ministry reform??? How was Hogwarts rebuilt, whos head now??? This book asked more questions then it answered.
51 - Marty Dodge
The epilogue rather struck me as tacked on. If one were cynical you could suggest that was tacked on so Rowling has something to come back to if her next project does not fly. It screams a taster for another book.
52 - McGonogall Misser
I agree with anyone who has previously commented on the missing info on the fates of the other characters we have grown to love (you know it's true!). What happened to George?!?! How do you live after that has happened to you, after literally never having been separated from your brother untill now? What about the rest of the Weasleys, or the Dursleys? Hermionie's parents? Yes, we have to know what HP etc. end up doing as their carriers! And whether McGonagall ends up being Hogwart's next Headmistress - or was that unofficially certified after Snape supposedly fled? Surely Dudders has to be the father of a little witch or wizard - or am I going a bit too cliche? Who cares? I just can't let my imagination rule me anymore, I would also like to know who Jade meant they were missing out in the films? Am I just being stupid - not realising?
All in all I didn't think it was the letdown that people seem to think it is! It did completely follow the style of the other 6 books and was very slow paced but then also very fast placed in places too, in true HP fashion. I thoroughly enjoyed it and currently only await one thing - the story of what happened in those 19 years.
I give it to JK, she has written extraordinarily well over the years that she has created this new world.
53 - Chris S
In my humble opinion, Deathly Hallows us definitely the best Harry Potter book. Rowling reveals all in breathtaking fashion. Still, that doesn't mean that the book was perfect. Nope. A classic example is the "duel" with Voldy, if you can call it a duel. Harry "won" by sheer luck, as usual. The greatest Dark Wizard ever lose by his own hand? Just because of a wand which refused to carry out Voldy's instructions? Gimme a break. Everything turns out OK in the end, which is too good to be true. Of course people and creatures were gonna die, that was inevitable... and what kind of epilogue was that? Do I care what Ron and Hermione's kids were called? What about the rest of the wizarding world?
54 - Eleanor
This book was brilliant I can't see how you people can't see that. It's the best she written and she is an awesome writer with an incredible imagination all you people who said it wasn't that good, it had plot glitches etc. etc. are completely wrong and stupid you obviously don't know a good book when you read one. McGonagall Misser I totally agree with you, I really want her to make another book on what happened in those 19 years and what happened to eveyone else and you are so not being to cliche it's fiction thats what happens and I reckon it would be cool if that happened
55 - Marty Dodge
stupid you obviously don't know a good book when you read one.
So anyone who doesn't agree with you is stupid and ignorant? How very mature of you. Calm down there fangirl. We all have a right to our opinions without suffering personal attacks.
56 - James
I don't feel I have to the right to say anything negative about the seventh book, the story was excellent theending was satisfying, and the writing was better than anything that I or anyone I know could manage.
But as usual for every brillient, and clearly superior author (or artist in general) such as J K Rowling born to a generation, there are a million nobodies who look for ways to belittle his/her work, and try bring it down to their own miserable level of existance.
Harry Potter's series was brillient and the Deathly hallows was almost better then some of the moaners here deserved it to be.
57 - Marty Dodge
No one in this entire thread disagrees it has not been a brilliant series. Where we disagree is whether or not this is one of her best/the best or not.
As I said to post above (that was not me) you just make your self look foolish by blanketly saying anyone who disagrees with you is an idiot or a nobody. Get a grip and learn to discuss things using your brains not your emotion.
58 - Eleanor
I didn't mean that you're stupid it's people have to look outside the box use a bit of their imagination and not put it down because they can't see like that and J.K Rowling has not only included fantasy but she has mixed it with reality that if you go into a war then you are most likely to lose someone you care about so it really wasn't dark it was a war and people just can't look outside the box and see that
59 - nolemommie
Having wholeheartedly looked forward to this book, I can only say that I am horribly disappointed. The ending is unsatisfying, trite, cheap, and amateurish, as well as insulting to the intelligence of a reader. The desire to deliver a "happy" ending and the lack of delivering a final literary punch is not worthy of Rowling's rich imagination. For shame! I am still trying to find a way to get the bad taste out of my mouth.
60 - Marty Dodge
Wow and I thought some of my reviews were curt and brutal.
61 - Eleanor
seriosly I don't know who you are or how old you are and I have no idea if you're emo or not but you sound like a depressed teenage emo, get over it the book isn't just written for adults or children but for kids wanting to let their minds free in a magical world and who wants to read of the hero dying alnog with all his friends and the people he classes as family and let the villain conquer the rest of the and put it into darkness and sorrow. It wouldn't make for the greatest movie either and as this is the last book J.K Rowling wanted to end it on a happier note leaving the reader happy than a gloomy one that would leave the reader sad so no offence if you are an emo and no offence to the emos out there but think of others when you say that the ending 'insulted the intelligence of the reader'
62 - Paul
It seems that people messaging here have forgotten what the name of the series is, HARRY POTTER. The entire series has been about harry, how he first learns what he is capable of to when he first realizes his destiny. I found this book to be the best of the lot because we got to find out what happend to OUR favorite character, Harry. As frustrating as harry is sometimes, as many bad decisions he made throught the book, he is still the one we all root for. As your should know the main theme of the series is the power of love, and the quest harry takes to realize this, is what makes him who he is. Love is what got harry to where he is and its power is what he has to use to defeat evil in the world. That fact is one of the most profound ideas in this world and JK does an excelent job of explaining that to us.
This folks is why literature is so important, not because of some really cool fantasy or magic, but the lessons we learn. And I don't know about all of you but this book has taught me more than any book i have read in my lifetime. Harry is a hero, that is why he lives, he was able to turn the love that his mother gave to him into love that he gave to everyone else. That my friends is what makes this book beautiful.
63 - Eleanor
Well said
64 - Jenn
Did anyone else find the best and most shocking bit of the book was when Snape's love was revealed? It might've just been me missing obvious clues but i was so shocked and upset i kept crying (sad i no). Snapes now my favourite.
But i agree with loads of the previous reviews. It would have been so much better if we had heard about what happened after voldemort died. As it went, I felt like i had missed out on the rest of Harry Potter. I loved finding out the names of his kids etc but there was soooo much more to say!
I felt so disappointed at the ending and snapes secret love I've just been in a mood all day (even sadder ryt?)
Further points:
* Voldemort died way too 'easily'.
* I would have like more time explaining the deaths of Fred etc.
* I wanna know what happened to Hermione's parents!
* Neville and Luna should definately have got together!
* And can someone explain what Percey's role was at the end? dad? teacher? i just really dunno.
But apart from the saddness which i felt ended the book, it was fantastically written. Even if it was meant for film it made it so much real in my mind. JK did so well fitting everything together, it couldn't have been easy.
65 - Eric
I finished this book yesterday, and I've had about 24 hours to digest it. With that said, and keeping in mind all the comments I've read on this page, here's my humble opinion.
The ending was not quite as trite and predictable as some people have suggested. Voldie dies because he created Harry Potter. He made Harry into the ultimate weapon through his greed, lust for power and fear. If Voldie had realized what he did on the night he killed James and Lily, then things would have turned out differently. But Voldie was too blinded to realize this - like many dictators throughout history, he never took the time to comprehend and understand that which he sought to master.
Ok, second, the deathly hallows themselves weren't unrealistic, not entirely. The point of the deathly hallows was to suggest that powerful magic existed, but such magic was not perfect. The Elder Wand, while it was "powerful," it certainly did not ensure invincibility and really became a trap in the end for Voldie (and other wizards - note Grindelwald's duel with Dumbledoor...). The resurrection stone didn't bring back the dead, but aloud the wearer to see the dead once again... not really a resurrection. And the invisibility cloak, well that didn't always work perfectly either (see book 6, when Malfoy found Harry eavesdropping in the car).
As for Harry's alleged resurrection, Dumbledoor told him he wasn't dead. You can't be resurrected unless you've died. This fact is a major loophole to comparisons to Christianity.
All in all, HPDH was a great book, and I can't wait to read it again. For all you fellow speedreaders, maybe you should pick the book up again and read it a bit slower - you might enjoy it more.
66 - Marty Dodge
Eric just out of curiosity what do you consider "speed" reading? Surely everyone reads at their own pace? No one deliberately read quick just to be finished first.
However, that snide remark aside, you make some interesting points. Not all of which I agree with mind, but pause for thought nonetheless.
67 - Wanga
Finished reading yesterday and honestly enjoyed it probably more than any other HP book - but still was scatching my head over the flurry of paradox's and weird 'deus ex machina' threads that seemed to detract from the quality of the narrative. The'holy grail' element made little contextual sense - dumbledore never satisfactorally explains why he wanted harry to discover about the 'hallows' and the fact Voldemort destroys his own horcrux without knowing - clever - but the curse he uses is one that does not work against horcruxs - avada kadavra kills people, not souls - hence people who have been killed by it can return to harry via the ressurection stone (soul is still intact)Some readings of the text can expliain this - but would have parts of Voldemort still alive in some sense at the end. Also, the stone in the fairy story functions differently to how harry experiences it, though all the hallows do to some extent.
Voldemort is shown to be weak at the end - but only becasue of his greed and ignorance - his fatal flaws we have always known of - until then he is unspeakably' terrifying - the whole Taboo thing was genius (at least on the surface) and the transformation of the world, not through stealth but through take over of the estblishmeant completed the many "hitler" allusions the last couple of novels have played up to - along with the christ metaphor, etc...
The epilogue? satisfying - but with a terrible last two lines. Note: It is far easier to write a sad ending than a happy one, as the happy one is often the most jarring against the narrative thread.
The way voldemorts wand wouldnt work as he wasnt its true master was a sight cop out really - would have been better if neville had done him with the sword right after nagini - unexpectedly - but then we wouldnt have had all the exposition needed during the final duel.
The books are not as rich and detailed as Tolkeins, and there are too many breakdowns in logic to be entirely satisfied, but I was impressed - and yes, i felt it was very cinematic - and i cant wait to see the film
my book was 607 pages - that seems to matter to some people - note; the american version had pictures! the heads of each chapter all had illustrations! hense it was about 150 pages longer.
68 - Eric
Marty, my suggestion that "re-reading" the book may provide greater insight and new-found enjoyment was not "snide."
Your rude interpretation of that comment will ensure that I never post here again. Perhaps you should take another look at your "comment policy."
69 - Abdullah H
It was a very good book really. A very compelling one indeed, especially at the end of it. One particular character I disliked the most was Ronald Weasley, he really is an annoying one. One part of the story which I have always disliked was the Ron+Hermoine item. But of course, that was there in the previous books as well.
Another really annoying part was how they(Harry, Ron, and Hermoine) operated alone and weren't really in contact with any resistance forces. It also seems that all the other Order if the Pheonix members weren't doing anything significant to attempt to fight off the death eaters, as if all hope had been lost.
Personally, I really hate James Potter(Harrys dad). Considering the revelation of how Snape was a good guy and had been fighting for Harrys protection all this time, I've felt odd. Immediately after he was attacked by voldemort, I was happy. But right when he asked harry to fill the bottle with his thoughts, I knew something was fishy. Now, Severus Snape is one of my favorite characters in the book and I felt deeply saddened at his loss.
Over-all I enjoyed the book but acknowledge that it could have been much better but it still was very good. Thank you J. K. Rowling for this great series.
70 - Chloe
Hi, I finished reading the book yesterday and have been moping around ever since and I don't know what to do with myself.
I was shocked at times, not so shocked at others. The only things I were right about is the ambush on the order (in the sky) and neville being a teacher and the trio returning to hogwarts to find a horrux.
I was completely wrong about harry being a horrux, the way ron abandoned harry and that snape was good....
You know, that really irritated me, the way snape turned out to be good! I wanted him to be bad! After all the horrible acts JK made him carry out, she made him a goody! It's so unfair! I'm personally glad that snape is dead and i still hate him.. even though he turned out to be good!
The battle at the end was a tad rushed. i feel like there should have been more of a battle rather than a converstation and a a spell. I wanted it to be a ful force nail biting fight!
I was very confused at the chapter "kings cross" i had to read it twice to basically understand it! was that whimpering thing voldemort??
I was so upset when i found out that lupin and tonks died! I can't really describe it..
71 - Ilenia
personally, the book did not meet my expectations. I really thought there were some missing parts and it felt a little rushed. Also, I would have liked it more if it had focused on ron and hermione's relationship. i thought the way they ended up togheter was a little stupid. and, it's true, i was really disappointed at the epilogue: i wanted the author to give me a lot more information about the other characters. whom was teddy raised from? what happen to luna and dean (i think rowling meant them to be togheter)? what about the ministry and the weasleys? lastly, but not least, i was soooooo sad when i read about fred's death...come on,how could the rowling do that, i mean, having one of the twins die and not telling the readers about the other one's further life?!
i just can't get over it...
however, i generally enjoyed the book:it got me to like even more the complexity of snape's and dumbledore's personalities, and i was happy that none of the three died.
72 - Marty Dodge
Eric: how is implying that those of us that read the book "fast", however that is defined, did not fully grasp the book not snide?
Reading comprehension and speed of reading are not necessarily mutually exclusive. There are plenty of methods for achieving both.
I am sure if you re-read your comment you could see how its hard not to interpret it that way.
I did not violate any terms but merely defended those of us that are able to read at a quicker rate than others.
73 - Deathly hallows is the best book i've ever read
HPatDH is probably the best book i've ever read. Although it wasnt stated in the top review, i found that there were plenty of twists, turns, and the excitment was amazing!
Begging CH 19, there were almost no slow parts, and I zoomed through the last chapters, not able to put the book down!
i give HPatDH 6/5 stars!
74 - harry potter fan
the deathly hallows was amazing!!! i enjoyed it so much!!! always full of unexpected twists to the story!!! then there is the expected romance!!! it is brilliant!!! i could read it millions of times. best one of the lot!!!
75 - Eileen
Rowlings original genius I believe was her writing style. She had a very unique ability to relay to the reader what Harry was feeling, what he was going through as all of this madness around him unfurled. I believe she abandoned that style from books 4 on and as someone already stated staring writing books as scripts. This is the missing piece for me along this journey -the abandonment (intentional or not) of the original intent of the series.
I am also very disappointed in the way Snape was primarily left out of this last installment. Snape has been such and enigma up to this point, a very important minor character, and Rowling reduces him to a few fleeting lines and a chapter after he is dead.
I also felt is was unjust of Rowling to introduce us to new ideas (such as the Death Hallows, the symbol of Grindlewald, Harry's wand doing magic own it's own, etc...) when this book was to be about closure about ending. I would rather she tied up all the loose ends then try and introduce some new story lines. The chapter at Kings Cross was also very disappointing and frustrating. Again, no answers from Dumbledore, only guesses and conjecture.
Also, if I read the book correctly about the Hallows, then Harry and Voldemort are related. Maybe far removed, but still related. Rowling says Voldemort had the Resurrection Stone because it belong to his grandfather a descendant of one Peverell brothers - the original owners of the Hallows. Harry's dad had the Invisibility cloak because he to is a descendant of one of the brothers. So that makes Harry's family and Voldemorts family related. But again, Rowling does not go into any of this. More questions, no answers.
I also agree that Voldemorts death was uneventful (even pathetic IMO). Here is the wizard who has made Harry's and everyone's life a living hell and he is killed by a backfire curse. Rowling also has a thread in the book about the significance of 'blood' (full blood etc..) but yet the significance of Harry and Voldemort blood status never comes up. Seems pointless to harp on the significance of blood yet never mention it in regards to the 2 main characters.