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 comments76 - DOUG
WELL I SURE DID'NT EXPECT THIS NEGATIVITY- I LOVED THE BOOK. I WAS SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE WAY SHE ENDED IT-NOT THE STORY BUT THE FLASH FORWARD-SHE SHOULD WRITE A NEW SERIES AROUND THE OTHER CHARACTERS- THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ALL THE FLAWS OF THE CHARACTERS-DUMBLEDORE,JAMES,RON,HARRY-JUST PROVES THAT J.K HAS WRITTEN SOME OF THE MOST REALISTIC FICTIONAL CHARACTERS EVER-THE BOOK WAS GREAT-I STILL FEEL THAT WE HAVE NOT VISITED HOGWARTS FOR THE LAST TIME-MAYBE A NEW SERIES FROM A DARK ARTS/SLYTHERIN STUDENT-I WOULD LOVE IT IF SHE STARTED A NEW SERIES IN THE FAR OFF FUTURE WITH HARRY HAVING BEEN MURDERED BY THE NEW DARK LORD-MAYBE-WISHFUL THINKING I KNOW- GREAT BOOK-GREATEST BOOK SERIES EVER IN MY OPINION- NOT THE BEST- GOF OR HBP HAVE MY VOTES- I WILL MISS THE SERIES AND ALL OF THE CHARACTERS
77 - Brad K.
I read every single response and opinion on this page because I am so confused to what to think. I loved reading the entire series and esp. the deathly hallows. But the feeling that i keep facing is emptiness. I really want to know more. JKR has made a dynasty when it comes to a hero. i feel that she has to write another one due to public demand; there is too much public demand for that to be dismissed. Fydor Dotesvsky who wrote Crime and Punishment wrote an epilouge years after the book was published due to public demand and i hope JKR does the same.
i feel almost foolish writing this but the book seriously has become a part of me. i havent been the same since i finished it. i feel like i should give my opinions of the novel but its simply the feeling of wanting more thats over powering me.
also just so i know im not alone... did anyone else see the allusion to the holocaust that JKR made? i completely missed the whole jesus christ aspect suprisingly, but once it was mentioned it was so obvious. he died to protect everyone else just like jesus. its these allusions and deep hidden cultural and historical references which convinces me that this series was made for adults.
I know ive been talking for awhile but i just cant get over how amazing the entire harry potter ride was for me.
78 - STFU n00bz!
For the fact, Harry DID die. He stepped forward and took death face on. Because he was the destined holder of the Hallows, he could be the one to transcend death once again. Because of Voldemort's weakness in his own evil, Harry could triumph over him even though he was merely a young wizard with, daresay, very limited skill. Because Harry was such a loyal, and pure of heart young man, he had the powers needed to face Voldemort and finish. Because of Dumbledore's and Snape's shortcomings earlier in life, Harry had an avenue to defeat the Dark Lord. Dumbledore redeemed his own lust for power by presenting it to Harry in a rather complicated way.
THIS ALL MAKES SENSE RIGHT?
The epilogue... Harry's children go in safety, something Harry could never truly feel. It's something called PEACE and boring as peace may be Rowling was brilliant enough to bring it to the book.
79 - Abeera
well.. i personally think tht it was an okay book... not tooo gud... neither tooo bad.... well onli one thing i cud say here tht i was expecting more frm rowlin,.. wich she dint showed up at all!... :(
80 - anniejet
I just finished The Deathly Hallows. Loved it. Did not find it one dimensional or shallow. All 6 other books built to this finale and for me it was perfect. People can nitpick forever but this is a series that I'll enjoy returning to again and again throughout the years...My children will enjoy it!
Thank you J.K. Rowling.
81 - jen
I can see why there are lots of comments about the middle chapters - there isn't a huge amount of action and it does slow down a bit but I think Rowling was trying to express how lost and vulerable the three actually were...
What made this book brilliant - and it's only my opinion- was the way that characters such as prof McGon and Snape were handled. I LOVED that she was in leading a charge of magical desks! Genius.
Neville was also fab - LOVED that he became a heroic character whose gran was proud of him!Bless.
Finally, Snape- a great author is someone who can make you feel real emotion about a character for weeks/months after you have finished reading the book. He will stay with me for a long time.
The ending- still thinking about that one. I too wondered about Percy's role and it was a bit twee but at least Harry has his own family and is happy. one question - why nineteen years?
82 - Steve
I thought the book was amazing, and it was relieving to have so many questions answered. Probably one of the best books i've ever read. I know that the Harry Potter series has nothing to do with the Lord of the Rings series, but a few scenes in HP7 couldnt help but remind me of scenes in the LOTR trilogy.
The book (in my mind) was a great ending to a great trilogy. It's a shame I see so many people on this board who didn't appreciate it the same way I did. I've read all of books 1-6 at least 3 times apiece, and I thought the plot all tied together remarkably well in the final installment.
I guess the only part of the book I was a little dissapointed about was the setting of the Epilogue. Everything else was perfect.
83 - Chris
Good book althought not the best in the series, IMHO. INCREDIBLE cycle of 7 books . . . will live on as one of the great masterworks of fantasy. I will be reading it again to see what I missed.
JKR managed to answer all the major questions without being entirely predicatable.
Some things that surprised me . . . .
Mrs Weasley taking down Bellatrix was a surprise when everyone expected (wanted?) Neville to finish her off.
Narcissa Malfoy being the one to check Harry to see if he is dead & not letting on that he's still alive.
Crabbe casting fiendfyre to destroy the diadem & himself.
Lupin AND Tonks getting killed in the climactic battle.
How briefly the diadem Horcrux was introduced, found, & destroyed. Hard to believe that Dumbledore didn't think to ask the Gray Lady about something like that when he knew Voldemort was looking to collect items from each founder & must have known who she had been when alive.
Just to name a few. Anything in the book that surprised you?
I was not surprised by Snape's motiviations after having reread Snape's Worst Memory from HBP a few weeks back. Lilly's defens of Snape in that scene gave me the feeling that unrequited love was Snape's motivation.
And she managed to do it while bringing in almost every character & creature introduced in the other books that I can think of.
84 - Kaonashi
Well, since there's no stopping the spoilers now, I'd like to chime in :)
I thought it was a very good read overall, but yes some parts dragged out. The whole plot with the threesome looking for the horcruxes got boring at times, wandering from one town to the next.
I was shocked at the body count in this book and was saddened to see so many good guys go down, but it was expected.I had a feeling that all four of Marauders would eventually died, but for Tonks to bite it as well was just sad considering she had just had a baby. But I guess Harry and little Teddy's relationship was meant to parallel Harry and Sirius'.
Some of the deaths however, seemed unnecessary. I mean seriously- Hedwig the owl? Fred? What on earth for? Even Crabbe's death seemed out of place, and for him to suddenly become a potential killer was also odd.
I think many will agree that the best chapter was "The Prince's Tale". It was such a sad chapter that revealed how complex Snape truly was. I had a feeling that Snape had a thing for Lily, but I never thought that they would be childhood friends.
I thought the epilogue was unnecessary, though I can see Rowling's desire to let people know that Harry and his friends grew up and lived happily ever after. I know many wanted to hear more about what happened to the others (the rest of the Weasleys, how the Ministry got returned to normal, etc) but I think it would have been difficult to squeeze all that in one chapter.
I'm sure I can think of more things to say but I'm at work right now ;)
85 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Maybe Rowling wrote this book with just enough of an out to give her the opportunity to write an eight book from someone else's viewpoint.
I thought the bit with the wands to be rather clever - it allowed her to explore the concept of loyalty from an entirely different angle.
I agree with others here that the book seemed to drag - but part of my perception may come from the fact that I was using it to keep0 awake during a late night patrol at a village gate... Al in all, I think Rowling could have cut fifty to sixty pages from this book with no trouble at all. But considering that the book cost over $30 in American money (NIS 139), I guess she had to give it a little heft..
86 - Dew
***Spoilers contained in this comment***
I loved book 7. What others felt to be rushed I took as active and emotional. Book 7 is by far my favorite. Although I have enjoyed all of the series, I have never been able to read any of the previous books twice. For what? There was nothing more to experience. With Book 7 I look forward to going thru it again and again.
I agree that Voldemort seemed dumbed down in the end but I understand why. Other than death itself, Harry was his greatest fear. We all knew Voldemort was a coward it was only fitting that he would be his own downfall. As JK so brilliantly outlined in half blood prince the prophecy only held because of Voldemort's choices and it was choices that brought his demise. Hence, Harry giving him the choice to be remorseful.
What I didn't understand was JK thinking she had closed all the gaps to prevent any future books. I saw so many place where there could be further editions. Especially in Harry's son Albus Severus. ( Albus Severus? Why did Ginny let him do that)
All in all great series, great book.
87 - eggplant
Ok I was wrong.I once said you couldn’t have a good Snape and a good book 7, it turns out I was wrong. I said if JKR can figure out a way to do it she’s an even better writer than I thought she was, it turns out she really is a better writer than I thought she was.
But in my own defense let me ask even the most loyal members of the I love Snape club something, wasn’t there a time when reading the book you thought I must be wrong, Snape really is evil?
If JKR had been writing in Shakespeare’s day we’d still be reading it, and if Shakespeare were writing in our day he’d be a billionaire too.
Eggplant
88 - Shay
I really think the book would have been better without the epilogue. And just about everyone I've talked to irl about the book seems to agree. The whole ending was like an artist temper tantrum to say "Ha ha! Now you can't mess with my characters anymore. These are the couples and that's it." And that pretty much IS it. Everyone is either married with children or dead. @_@ Hardly realistic or exciting. The epilogue reads like a bad fanfic..
Minus that however I thought the book was alright. It was very rushed, and I felt a little jaded with the lack of attention to certain characters deaths. If she'd streched the book longer and went into more detail it could have been amazing. But instead it was just okay. We got a resolution though, and it was interesting enough for me to finish, so it's some good in it. :3
89 - Aimee x.
I dont usually read books, but i just couldn't put this one down! I couldn't believe how much thought J.K Rowling had put into this! It all ties in, every last bit.
My favorite is how Snape was in love with Lily, although loathed James, to which Harry very much looked like, he never really put any hurt on him.
I love the fact that in the end, everyone unites, even the centuers to fight agains the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort. I had a feeling that Harry would have to die in the end, but i never expected him to come back to life =]
Even though its a truely dark story, all the way through it there is always happyness, laughs and love.
Well done J.K. Rowling
You are truely inspiring to us all! xx
90 - pig
I thought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was a good read but i am unsure of wether it was one of the worst or best in the series. I think it more or less ties up the whole series quite well but i think there was something missing which i just can't put my finger on. I would also really like to know about what happened to the Dursley family meanwhile all of this. Were they o.k?
Also, what kind of name is AlbusServurus. I mean come on, fine they were close to Harry but there was no need to put such an awful name to his son. I think J.K Rowling did a good job and it is finally the end of an era.
91 - Firebolt
I loved the book in fact i read it for 12 hours straight on Saturday. I feel the book was amazing. She tied up everything that needed to be tied. She truely is a genuis. I especially loved and was intrigued by the whole Severus Snape Dumbledore connection and how Snape really was just following orders. All that time he was in love with Lily Evans...poor guy. I actually feel sorry for the guy...how strange. Anyway, I think that because Harry was "killed" he became whole again just as Dumbledore said. Therefore his soul was more intact than it had ever been leaving him more alive than ever. This leads to why he was able to come back into the world of the living. I was in shock most of the book, but the good kind of shock. The book left me extremely satisfied and I happened to think the 19 Years Later bit was quite nice. I actually became teary eyed when he summoned the dead. Lupin's part was the one that got me going. I dont really know why. Anyone else think that while at King's Cross, the whining baby creature was Voldemort's soul??? All in all, this book is just as amazing as it's counterparts and is worthy of an A+ in my book. Anyone thinking about reading the series needs to because it is so extraodinary and intrigueing. Props to you Mrs Rowling.
92 - toby
i think fred loosing an ear was...pointless...if harry turned into voldemort and turned ron into a spider it would of been better..but...a wand! wtf.. is that the best JK could cum up with?
93 - Riv
I thought the 7th book was brilliant! I thought everything happened as it should have happened.You have to remember that one of the main points is the age old story that good conquers evil and that is precisely what happened. Harry used a his famed Expelliarmus charm againt Voldemort. He could have used the killing curse as voldemort had done but he didn't have. That is why Harry Potter is a great wizard. He didn't let power get to him. On another note in the epilogue, i would have loved to know a little bit more about Neville (i know he was professor but still) Luna, Professor McGonagall and if Hagrid was still a teacher or if he just lived in his little hut. Also I would have liked to know more about the other Weasleys and Teddy Lupin. They spoke sort of briefly about him and if it was 19 years later, he's be 18 or 19 so why was he still going to Hogwarts. But other than that, i really think the book is Brilliant!
94 - Sandra Elkwin
I didn't think there were any glitches at all in the book! it was the best bok of the series, i didn't feel rushed.
95 - Shiva
i cant get over the death of hedwig ..broke my heart...but hearing about snapes life ...that chapter made me really feel sorry for him.
96 - Blondygirl
I think a lot of the commente here should be looked at carefully. It seems like the whole of Harry's fan club wanted the book to end with him dying miserably and half the world being wiped out. The ending was not sappy. Has our world become so dark and grey that no one can see the beauty of naming a child after a loved one who is now gone? It is the greatest way to remember them and for them to live on. It's the whole love prevailing over evil which technically is what the harry potter books are all about.
Also I did not find the plot predictable at all, on the whole I found it impossible to predict and had to go to work halfway through with my head spinning with questions.
This is in my opinion, J.K's best work. Having grown up with Harry since I was 10 years old, I found the ending to be exactly the way I wanted it to be.
I was devastated by Fred's death. So many deaths and half of you seem to have wanted more
97 - Michelle
SPOILER WARNING!
My overall impression was a mixture of distaste and awe. Like all of the books, it had its shining moments of complete brilliance, only to be marred by other gapping errors. To start with the positives, it had some stunning universal themes working for it, expressed in very creative ways. We find out the background of Dumbledore, in which he has power-hungry tendencies because of his brilliance. He has the classic theme of having untold brilliance, and a slightly weak nature in the face of the pressure to use it. He masks his intentions of seizing power by any means necessary seem reasonable by justifying everything with the idea that he his working for “the greater good,” a tendency we have seen throughout history and in contemporary politics and religion as a major driving force. Harry also has the choice to either target the Horcruxes, or run after the Deathly Hollows; the three objects that Dumbledore sought that can make one invisible to death itself, and hold a lure to Harry to bring back loved ones. Harry has the choice to make, he can try to overpower by selfish means, or he can go about an unselfish plan. Ultimately the choice we all face. Once again, Rowling’s themes from her fantasy series are resonant with real life.
One of the greatest factors is her ability to display the realistic side of war and oppression. The Death Eaters finally have seized power over the ministry, and wizards of muggle dissent are virtually stripped of their power, reduced to begging in the streets. This is resonant, as it seems to cry out the even people with the most power (magic) can crumble at the will of another, all in the name of bigotry and hatred, greed and power. Another darker side of the war is displayed in everyone having the greatest thing to lose (loved ones) being threatened, tortured, and killed. The new regime does not target only people who dissent, but also their families. Like a truly good book, it makes on analyze themselves, and not help but wonder, could they go up against that? It also makes the reader cherish what they have.
And now the bad. I have to say, the whole thing felt exactly as diehard Star Wars fans described episode three. There was just chaotic battle, after chaotic battle, after chaotic battle, and in the end everyone knows what is going to happen and that is why they are there. Let’s just see Anikin become Darth Vader and be done with it. “It was too busy,” as my dad said. That is the exactly the way this book felt. It was chaos mounted on chaos, and in the end we know Harry is going to destroy the Horcurxes and Voldemort. The pacing was absurdly fast, to the point where it was very easy to get lost, or just not even care. Thirty things must have happened in one chapter. Some of this could have been filled out over the last two books, which seemed largely like filler books.
The worst part seemed to be the gaps in the narration. Things would happen spontaneously, without really understanding why or how. If we are lucky, we get to hear later on just what it the name of God happened. At one point, Neville had the sorting had on, which burst in to flames, only to have him take it off, and pull out the sword of Gryffindor. The narration fails to mentioned if he is burned, or injured. Small things such as this make the reading very slow going. Parts had to be read three or four times. If I had to summarize this book in one word, it would be chaos. But despite the chaos, I applaud her ability the keep the dizzying details of this complex book strait.
And of course, the all mighty luck-driven plot was back again. Wand ownerships were switched just at precisely the right time, and in the end Voldemort “killed” Harry. Luckily, Harry was a Horcrux, so Voldemort only murdered his own soul, leaving Harry’s soul for the first time complete. Why? Luckily Voldemort had Harry’s blood in him, somehow keeping Harry alive (this raises the interesting question of Wizard blood drives…). Dragons are reached in the nick of time, spells narrowly avoided because the enemy is clearly not trained in marksmanship, and if the heroes wait long enough, some of the information drops in their laps. At one point, the trio is on the run and camping in the English country side, and desperately needed to know information about Gryffindor’s sword. Sure enough, people on the run from the government walk up next to the hidden tent, sit down, and discuss vital information about the sword. As a final point, many of the individual new plot points are stereotypical in the extreme. There is a magical sword that destroys anything, a fairy tale the just happens to be true, and objects to make one immortal.
And yet, even if individual parts are lacking, Harry Potter seems to be great in the sum of the whole. The way Rowling can some how take the hackneyed and combine it into the extraordinary is what makes these books worth the read. Along the same lines as the great classics of Shakespeare and Steinbeck? Hardly. But in their own right, I am glad I followed Harry to the end.
98 - TimmmmmyC
does this work?
99 - SmrtyPntz92
The part about Snape being in love with Lily was SOOOO adorable! Hermione kissing Ron was really cute, too!
100 - TimmmmmyC
it seems that most of the people posting here were satisfied with the final HP installment...however, i DEFINITELY was not.
i found myself reading the book quickly...too quickly...because i wanted to finally get to an interesting point in the story. by the time that finally occurred, i was just about done with the novel.
i felt that the story was rushed...and rather than tie up loose ends, it created them instead. voldemort perishing like he did? in a mere matter of a few lines?? disturbingly ridiculous.
i think rowling did a great disservice to her series, and to us, her devoted fans. i wish she had taken more time. she needed another year at least to adequately produce the final installment.
i never wanted the other HP books to end...i thought they were so creative and intriguing...but i found myself wanting to get to the end of The Deathly Hallows...not just because i wanted to see how it all ends, but also because i wanted her to wrap it up. it was definitely rushed...and wildly lacking. i almost wish i never read it...i could have written a better, more satisfying end to the series in my head. i don't care about some characters dying...they had to. it was necessary. even harry dying would have been justifiable. but to end it like she did...it just seemed a horrible disservice to the other works. the 1st 500 pages were glaringly lacking substance...and the last ~250 were rushed...it appeared like rowling realized she had wasted too much time with the garbage at the beginning of the novel decided to accelerate everything else.
it seems to me that all the readers who found the Deathly Hallows to be a masterpiece would say that regardless of what rowling wrote. they wanted it to be a masterpiece. and so it was to them. but to me, one of the more blunt & discerning readers, it will never be more than a rushed, lacking novel that was kicked out to beat a publishing deadline. and that's a shame.
101 - Nicole
No twist and turns?
Are you serious?
"most" is spelled m-o-s-t nost m-u-s-t
Apart from the epilogue (must admit it was poorly written) the whole book was brilliant to me.
102 - ds
it seems some of you commenting were more upset that the series ended and just took it out on the book...well it had to end sometime so get over it and enjoy this wonderful book
103 - Batgrrl
Did I miss something? I thought they had to give up the magic sword just before escaping gringotts on the dragon. How did neville get it back at the end?
104 - Ruben Castro
I thought this book was excellent, even the ending. I place it as the best book in the series. It is difficult to end such a series, one that has created so many emotions in not only the reader but also the author. Remember also that Rowling had to write this book for all age groups and many of the younger readers would perhaps not be able to digest a sad ending.
It is fitting that Harry and Ginny are married and Ron and Hermione finally realize their love for each other. What more can we ask? For Rowling to write even more books ...
105 - EthelHallow
wow, people are coming to this books defence like it's a holy object. Despite it's similarities, it's not the bible - relax. We are allowed to not like things about it. Putting forth criticism, expressing what bothered us about the book doesn't mean this book and the whole series was crap. Clearly we are all fans of the series or we wouldn't be here. So please stop implying or flat out saying that those of us who don't think this book is a perfect flawless work of art are stupid
106 - Kha
the only problem i found was that the end was too abrupt. what happened about the dead bodies lying in the great hall? what about Fred and Lupin and Tonks? what about Lupin's kid? what did they do to Voldemort's and Bellatrix's bodies? what did they plan to do now it was over? who was going to be the new headmaster/mistress? Too many unanswered questions were left hanging and she went straight to the epilogue. she couldve atleast added a few more paragraphs to tell us all this instead that Harry wanted to sleep and thats it.
107 - IgnatiusReilly
Nicole, too bad you don't know how to spell "not".
108 - Farah
Predictable it may have been, but I think that everyone knows that the way the book ended was the way it was destined too. HP is about fulfilling one's destiny as Harry did, and in return good conquered evil, life conquered death.
I did feel that the last chapter or so seemed rush and the Epilogue was a strange last view of Harry out of his youthful element of which readers have come to know him.
However, I appreciated JKR's development of love between Hermione and Ron, the bravery and importance of Neville Longbottom, the humanity and vulnerability of the great and imperfect Dumbledore, and the unforseen motivation (Lily) behind Snape's actions.
Overall a great book, perhaps not the best of the series or the most perfect, but the one that needed to be written. For close to 800 pages it was an all-too-fast read. It's hard to believe the series is really over, but we had a good run. Perhaps in my lifetime we will never have another literary hero like Harry.
109 - Drew
Can somebody please explain to me how the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time was killed because of a stupid backfiring wand?? Is that the best Rowling could have come up with??
110 - chichoo
(Hi. You should have read the book to read this)
I got on to the firebolt and circled entire earth and landed safely on the rooftop. That’s how I felt the moment I started the book and completed it some 19 hours later (minus some minutes spent on daily cores!) what a book! You need not be a genius to have guessed some plot details earlier because it is a continuing story right from first book. I felt really sad (even had wet eyes!) for Snape. What a man. JKR should have at least permitted harry to hug snape once (even though he loath him and the feeling is mutual!) I feel that jkr's children should have made her change her mind from eliminating one of the three main characters. But I don’t complain. The epilogue should have been more hilarious and informative had there was a dinner meeting at The Burrow amongst all Order members and other survivors (including Grawp!). The following may also be added (this is only inclusive. Lot and lot can be mentioned):
1. Hagrid marries Madam Maxime
2. Hagrid gifts tawny Owl to harry named Hedwig
3. Umbridge put behind Askhaban
4. Luna Lovegood marries Neville
5. Ron joins Charlie in WWW joke shop
6. Kreacher joins Hogwords kitchen
7. Hermione becomes Healer
8. Harry becomes Auror
9. Kingsly Shacklebolt becomes minister of magic etc etc
111 - Strazif
Overall I enjoyed the last book. The only thing that really dissapointed me was the death of Voldemort. I think the whole wand thing made Harry's character and the overall meaning of the series shallow. I guess my own expectations are a good reasoning of my distaste for the final battle. I wanted to come to the conclusion that at the end when Voldemort lay on the ground that it was truly Harry alone that made it happen. Not some loophole wand power or some magical charm of love that helped him.
Despite that I loved the series and I loved this book. It was a great journey.
112 - Amizez
i think that this book is amazing it was neccessary for the deaths as it is war it is neccessary for their to be deaths that is unneeded as it shows that even innocent people get hurt in war.it shows people of the younger generation the devastating effects of war in a way they can relate to it brings it real to them in a way they can understand. i dont know if it is just me but i think this book relates to world war 2 and nazi germany.(wont say anymore them pesky spoilers!)what i also like about this book is the way it was unpredictable except for the ending the ending was predictable since books before this one. i think it could of been a better epilogue... but it had to be that way because i think that its what the readers wanted to see and it would be a to bigger twist to end it in the opposite direction.i think the ending of both the epilogue and the book was weak the final battle very disappointing and the last page. overall i rate this book 10/10 because the way rowling addressed the war situation, the pace of the book,the unveiling of characters(dumbledore and even more surprising snape!) anyone who buys this will be thrilled to read it!.and all i have left to say is thanks JK for the memories and the great times which have been reading the books and i think the final film will be like 5 hours long as the whole book is important towards the climax of the series.
113 - Amizez
also i think that the people who wanted harry potter to die indefinitely are those who maybe subconsiously harry potter means alot to them as if you think logically if he is dead there can be no more harry potter books where as if he's still alive theres a glimmer of hope that they will hear from hogwarts again. it is a weird way to think but maybe they envy him for his fame.(all this from a 15 yr old boy who woulda guessed lol)
114 - kassie
i had always thought snape was a good character, i thought he made it interesting, but after he killed dumbledore in the 6th book i forgot about him. i was shocked and happy after it was revealed he was a good guy. he in now back on my favourite character list.
115 - albus severus
I think that this "final installment" has accomplished exactly what was intended. This is a fairy tale and I don't think that Harry, Ron, or Hermione had to die. I am happy that if anyone had to die it would be a 2nd tier character. I also understand that some characters would not get their due (like Hagrid) simply because of time constraints. Face the fact that this book could easily have reached 1000 pages. Also Kings Crossing explained Dumbledore's actions and tied them together perfectly. On the negative side this could be the first book in the series where the movie could definitely outshine the book. Is that really a negative? Also the epilogue is great.
It closes the circle of life thing. If JK wants to write short stories in the future about Harry and Ron's children, that avenue is open. If she wanted to fill in any blanks about the 19 year period she can do it. One of the most wonderful writers of our time.
116 - Marty Dodge
I personally do not like novels that are written in a way that makes it seem more a movie script than a novel.
It is possible that Rowling is making a subtle jab at the way the movies have been made. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks the movies are better than the books. Maybe she is trying to bridge that gap.
The epilogue struck me as a bit "tacked on" and rather superflous to requirements. There was enough of a "happy" ending in the proper book so it was unnecessary.
117 - Amizez
i agree with marty dodge it will be hard to make this book look bad as a movie as i think this book would be an ideal movie
118 - Josh
I have read most of the comments here.
In all honesty, I felt empty inside.
All of the other books seemed better.
The ending was....not as I expected.
And now, I know that their either not going to have a 7th movie, or if they do it will be horrible, because they'll miss out on so much.
I just felt....empty, depressed that its over. And afcource the series was great I'v read it since I was a kid.
But it lost its magic, it really did.
The ending of the 7th book...well...wasnt to my expectations.
This has left me depressed, because I know she could have come up with something better.
Everything after Harry came back from the dead was crap =/
119 - Chris Burton
I agree the book would make a great movie especially the battle of hogwarts at the end!
I enjoyed the book it was great i thought it was the best in the series. Although was it just me or did harry not seem to fight much(as throughout the whole series), in the battle for hogwarts he ron and hermione seemed to just be spectators running around and explaining wat was going on too much! With all the magic hermione was depicted to know it seemed she was more likely to be able to finish off voldy, not harry. it would have been great to see harry in a decent battle with voldy perhaps realise the power that dumbledore explains his pheonix wand to have recieved from voldy.
And i thought in the 6th book that that levicorus spell could only be thought hermione for some reason mumbled it in bellatrix's volt.
Also i sgree on the fact that ending needed to be longer seeing as it was the last book. But it seemed to be an ending similar to that of the earlier books. At least right a decent epologue with ALL the main characters in it.
What happened to the members of the DA!?
120 - SS Gal
SPOILER
I have enjoyed reading comments from the other readers, and in some instances gained understanding which I had not thought about. I really enjoyed this book. Yes, though somethings were predictable, other things were a complete surprise. I loved the way Neville grew into a leader. I thought that was great. I loved Snape being good, but I had truly thought this before I read the book and also linked him to being in love with Lily. I believe that the Sword came to Neville from the sorting hat, which someone questioned, because he "needed it". There is a passage in this book, as well as in the first book regarding this. I just can't remember the exact details. I had bought both the book and audio book. I have to agree that when I read - the book seemed rush, because I was trying to get through it, but I also have to admit, when I listened to the audio - It did fall into place and did not seem as rushed. I questioned why Tonks and Lupin both had to die, but agree it is a connection with Harry. And I thought maybe another book serious with Teddy??? I really did enjoy this book. It made me laugh, cry and surprised me at times. I truly believe that Rowlings is a master story teller, and those of us who have loved the books, are grieving the end of the series. So hopefully Rowlings will come up with another series and we will get enjoyment from those, though probably not the love and obession we have had with Harry.
121 - jac
While perhaps slightly rushed in it's tieing of lose ends and marred by it's overly child-friendly and trite conclusion, Deathly Hallows was an overall astoundingly entertaining, intelligent and gripping conclusion to the Harry Potter series. Whenever I read Rowling's books I am shocked by her ability to combine entertaining and funny childrens books, dark fantasy novels, "emotional growth" literature and even philosophical text seamlessly, and, in my opinion, her final piece was no exception.
While admittedly darker than her previous books and sometimes lacking the amusing, lighthearted charm Rowling is famous for adding to her narrative, one can hardly blame her for this loss of sunshine--- the inevitable end of this series we've all accepted (the fall of voldemort, with or without harry) requires such death and violence if it is to be even remotely plausable. The atmosphere may be surprising to readers used to a generally uplifting read, but is nonetheless impressive in it's own way.
Hallows wasn't perfect though. The sheer number of mysteries and loose ends released into the world of Wizards during the first 6 books all had to be explained, tied and finished during this novel, and rowling sometimes failed to aptly do so. Some explanations were dragged out rather excessively while others were left partially unexplained or merely glossed over.
...
AND THE CONCLUSION! OH, THE CONCLUSION.
The interesting ending to the saga of Harry VS. Voldemort made perfect sense and followed in time with what had been building during the previous books, however was not overly well written; it seemed a rather rushed climax compared to some of the lengthy explanations earlier in the book. I finished reading that section with a feeling of "and that's it? that's all you're going to say?" The last chapter was also weak; it seemed a poorly tacked on bit reminiscent of a disney movie--- unneccesary, off colour with the introspective darkness of the rest of the book and slightly redundant--- we all KNEW who would marry who!
Anyway. now I'm complaining and rambling, but to be totally honest I loved this book regardless of it's flaws. It was an overall excellent ending to a bestselling series and an interesting piece of literature sure to satisfy rather than dissapoint if you open your mind just a little.
122 - leonardo
While I enjoyed the "deathly halllows" (like many of you I didn't put the book down once)I belong in the camp that was extremely dissapointed with the ending. I wasn't unhappy with any of Rowlings plot twists or the novels pacing, it just seemed to me that she had a powerful ending that would have set the book apart from other fantasies and complete a great series with an unbelievable ending. Harry should have died. And thats not because Im some morbid "emo", its because as I read how Harry walked to face Voldemort knowing he was going to die, I was completely moved, and although I didnt want it too happen, I knew it should. And then Rowling surprised me even more by making the next chapter set in the afterliife and had him talking to his good friend dumbledore and I was even more pleased. Harry is not dead! He has just moved on!
But then, just like a cheap two bit author, Rowling decieds to cater to the 11 year olds and makes him magically come back to life. I guess thats what I get for becoming involved in a childrens fantasy, however good that fantasy was. I am in my twentys. Shame on me. Seriously.
So instead of Voldemort and Harry lying dead across from one another, and the culmination if the series being powerful and meaningful, readers are then subjected to Voldemorts unbeleivable stupidity. You would think that after trying to kill this kid yoiur whole life you would check to see if he was actually dead yourself. We get the second duel, but before tehy get down to it, Harry has to make a long winded explanation as to how exactly he is going to win. Its Draco's Wand! AHAHA! I'm HArry Potter, The luckiest boy wizard ever! And just how did Harry get through this book without havng to make one killing curse. While everyone around him is getting murdered b Voldie n' company, it never occurs to him that maybe he should be throwing around a few "Avada Kedavras". Hell even the lowly Crabe and Goyle tried to kill him. in response harry sets his phaser to Stun? I would like to see a litttle more anger from a boy wizard who has seen everyone close to him die.
But you may say, "That would give in to his dark side?" Even Frodo killed some folks.
And is their any justice in the Wizarding world? How exactly does Malfoy get to send his kid to Hogworts, after he is directly responsible for letting death eaters into Hogworts and killing random students.
I really did like this book, really I did. I just have a few contentions. Had the ending been good i could forget about everything else. I find it hard to beleive that Rowling, being an obviously brilliant writer with an incredible imagination, couldn't see where the book needed to end. I blame pressure from the publishing company. its as if they had her under the imperious curse.
123 - Arjun
Hi Marty,
In my opinion, this book was as good if not better than all the other HP books. Ms. Rowling continues to amaze with her writing. She has brought in many elements of general philosophy into the book in subtle ways and makes Harry's transition to adulthood so much more inspiring to teenagers.
Also, I disagree with your quip about spelling errors. Please state your references for that. There were a few places that may have looked like they had grammatical errors, because of missing punctuation maybe, but to me they just looked like stylized narration.
-Arjun.
124 - Lucy
I found the book read well, but the 19 years into the future was a bit unlike rowling. In those couple of pages I would have liked to known what was going on; meaning what did the trio of friends do for a living, what happened to the member of the order, was snape vindicated, etc. The where are they now part just seemed a bit rushed.
125 - Earl
Why would Dumbledore give Hermione information on the Deathly Hallows, and give Harry the Resurrection Stone if he didn't want them to find the Hallows?