Solid end to a solid series. It had the usual and expected flaws–in need of more aggressive editing, protagonists only ever finding things out by overhearing others reciting chunks of exposition at one another whether by invisibility cloak, extendable ears, or pensieve replay.
The deaths were pretty much all toothless, though thankfully mostly through execution and not because of the overuse of phoenix trappings that I was most worried about. I didn’t mind characters getting offed off-camera–the books have only left Harry’s viewpoint on rare occasion, which is largely what led to the variations on the overhearing-exposition theme–but the flaws were mostly in how Harry didn’t much react to any of them.
I liked how Harry started throwing around Unforgivable Curses through the course of events; he should have gone the full trifecta, though. There was untapped potential there in raising questions of just how much dark is unforgivable in pursuit of “the greater good,” along with parallels to the big D and Snape.
Also, with Limbo being an empty train station, there should have been passing mention of a mopey pale guy in a trenchcoat who was stuck there. He could have been muttering about hoping Trinity could get him out, and Harry would have taken it as yet another reference to the Hallows.
But where was the hype from? Rowling doesn’t do too many interviews and all I ever read from her was that yes, there would be more deaths and that she ended up giving one character a reprieve and killed off two others that she hadn’t planned. I’m sure the deaths were a big deal to her- she obviously has a real affinity for these characters (Lupin has been cited as one of her favorites). Anyone making more of that is the very definition of hype because only Rowling actually knew. I certainly don’t recall anyone promising or indicating that there would be a death among the core trio.
You can say the same thing with the fifth book- there were reports that a “major” character would die and I recall a lot of speculation being about the trio, Hagrid, or Dumbledore but when it turned out to be Sirius a lot of people didn’t consider him major although he clearly was for Rowling.
For me, she did her job in making me feel like no one was absolutely safe. I didn’t really expect Harry, Ron, or Hermione to die (I did think Hagrid was likely) but I wouldn’t have been shocked if one of them had either. So from that standpoint I don’t think she copped out.
how about Fred? A death so understated that even Qt3 has managed to ignore it!
hehe, oops I meant to bring him into it in the previous post but I forgot ;)
For me, she did her job in making me feel like no one was absolutely safe.
I think if anything it was getting to a point of being overplayed. It did feel at times like the Trio were being purposefully put in peril in a sort of “Will I, won’t I?” tease.
when it turned out to be Sirius a lot of people didn’t consider him major although he clearly was for Rowling
I thought he was cut off just that bit too soon to be considered “major” from a reader/viewer’s point of view. You just start to get some inkling as to where he could lead Harry and then he’s offed.
Hagrid ultimately is up there with Dobby with me, he’s not really a major character, at least in the latter books and when he is featured I can’t wait for him to leave again.
I think Rowling herself got to the point where, as fond as she was for the character, she didn’t know what to do with him. He was “offscreen” for half of Order of the Phoenix and in Half Blood Prince none of the trio even want to take his class so his role in that book was pretty diminished.
Dobby never bothered me though. I kind of liked both him and Kreacher. Winky, on the other hand, I didn’t care for at all.
Kreacher I liked, especially his “redemption” which I thought was nicely done as it gave a little grey around the edges of a few characters that were part of his life.
Regarding Hagrid, I can see why, he ended up being this one dimensional, drunken oaf used for mild comic relief more than anything else and I’m not sure what could have been done with him.
This book does really drive home that the GRAWP subplot was pretty worthless. It was my least favorite part of OotP and I was hoping there would be some kind of payoff in HBP or DH to really make it worth it but that didn’t happen. I kinda wish she told the OotP filmmakers to cut that so they could have put some more important material in there.
Are you kidding!? Compared to Lupin/Tonks, Fred’s death was practically Dumbledore’s. “On-screen”, immediate reaction from the on-lookers, and a family mourning shot later on. I mean, it’s no “The Life, Times, and Death of Dobby” epic, but it got more ink than Charity Burbage, Hedwig, Mad-Eye Moody, Scrimgeour, Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Gornuk, Gellert Grindelwald, Wormtail, Crabbe, or Colin Creevey’s deaths.
Beginning was b-o-r-i-n-g. Middle was entertaining. Both endings sucked IMHO. JK simply can’t manage the epic tone necessary for the battle of hogwarts and aftermath. The borrowings from LOTR and C.S. Lewis were weak. The teenage and early-adult dating angst were dull and repetitive. The series was fun, but I’m glad it’s over. She couldn’t have possibly dragged this out much longer. Let’s move on to something better for god’s sake :-)
This book was definitely different in structure than past books, and while it did have a denouement of sorts (Harry’s near-death talk with Dumbledore), it came before the finale this time.
I actually like that she departed from the tradition of explaining all the little details and how every little subplot worked itself out at the end, and left a lot of loose ends (how the wizarding world rebuilds, what happens to the goblins, or the Death Eaters, or to Hogwarts, etc.) unexplained.
I was pleased with Snape’s redemption, and also with all of the insight into Dumbledore’s character. Overall, very much thumbs up. One of my favorites in the series.
I liked it for the most part but I wished she’d spent at least a single member of the A cast. Hagrid was my choice going into the book. The most important deaths that occur are in the final chapter and mean less as theres so little time for repercussions. For example Martin has that memorable scene in Storm of Swords before the halfway mark. I think killing Hagrid in the opening would have been interesting upending the rules for the reader but the whole wedding sequence would have needed a lower note as a consequence. Otherwise replace the house elf death with someone of importance as that was nice break in the action for reflection.
The time transitions felt a bit inelegant to me. For narrative reasons she has them lingering in the wilderness doing nothing, and I appreciate her reasoning, but it didn’t make for compelling reading to me. Neither did that Ron spat. Out of the whole book though there was really only one passage that really bothered me and it was exceedingly minor. Early on when the trio is considering where the Horcruxes might be they mention Riddles Orphanage and go there only to discount it. This however occurs in the space of fifty words and she doesn’t have them visit but instead tells the reader that they do. If she’s going to treat it as a throwaway then it would have been better to cut it. As suggested before a more aggressive Editor would have helped.
Lots of Deus Ex Machina as mentioned but I suppose thats the Potter series in general. People seem to live by the same rule as the Room of Requisition. The right one… just when you need them.
Loved that she had Lovegood turn them in. It was nice to see the good wavering. Umbridge got another day in the light which was fun. Voldemort going on a rampage at HQ when he hears about the theft from Gringots… I hope that makes the cut for the movie.
Liked that as well.
That would have made it more interesting. Saints are dull if not annoying. I enjoyed McGonigle casting Imperius without as much as a thought. It was a bit of a dramatic escalation for a law and order character yet one entirely in keeping with her attitudes.
Loved seeing Neville be a complete and utter badass.
Agreed on the writhing fetal soul of Voldemort being a somewhat perverted pleasure, and liked having all the loose ends tied up there, but really, I don’t even know what King’s Cross is.
Loved the redemption of Draco and Snape. Really loved the redemption of Snape, actually. When I found out the kid was named “Albus Severus” I got all teary-eyed again – to see Harry basically take the guy he despised most and honor him that way was really what the character was all about.
I felt the deaths of Tonks and Lupin deserved one more sentence, but not really more than that; I think the point of glossing over the deaths as the war rages on is part of the desensitization that occurs during war. If Harry’d fretted and moaned over every dead person as that person died, the book would be so angst-ridden it’d be unreadable. The burial of Dobby was drawn out as the last chance for the reader to breathe before the story starts to roll downhill until it hits terminal velocity. It was a pacing issue more than anything.
The battle for Hogwarts was just terrifically awesome; a true superhero epic, where the good guys always go to capture, not to kill.
What the last book did best was fill me with a sense of dread. I kept expecting someone major to die (Ginny at the Wedding, Ron when he leaves them, Hermione at the hand of Bellatrix, Ginny again versus Bellatrix, Hagrid at the sacrifice). The whole book was like the last 5 minutes of the Sopranos in that respect.
What it didn’t do well… Upon further reflection, that final duel with Voldemort is a cop out.
Harry doesn’t kill Tom Riddle - Hell, he even warns him how he’s going out. No… Riddle kills Riddle, through his arrogance.
Personally, I think it would have been more powerful if Rowling had underscored a point that’s often overlooked by the “no war can be a good war” types, namely: there are just some bullies out there. And you can try to appease them. You can try to reason with them. But ultimately, some of them just need to get their asses kicked because the world is simply safer without them.
This surprised me, very much, seeing McGonagall use an Imperius. You’re right, though, it really helped drive home the war.
Wish list: Fred & George dueling Umbridge in the final battle, shouting obscenities and taunts the whole way down. Make it Umbridge to finally kill Fred, then George says “Avada Kedavra!” and slams her to the floor in revenge, then George goes and takes on like five death eaters at once in a rampage.
