Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Review
*SPOILERS*
Sigh. The end. Finito. Since I first picked up my first Harry Potter in 2000 (or was it 2001??), I have been faithfully following the series, both books and films, and am very much part of the mass hysteria each time the new books come out. And now, the Harry Potter phenonmenon finally comes to a close. I feel so close to tears!
It was a great read - the Deathly Hallows. Complicated, but JK Rowling tied up all the loose ends brilliantly. Although I must confess that I actually started re-reading the previous books to actually appreciate what Rowling had achieved over the course of the 7 books. How innocuous things, like Harry’s wand, the Invisble Cloak, Harry’s previous encounters with Voldomort, etc. all came together in the final Good vs Evil showdown.
Although there were plenty of discussions and speculations about the plot even before Rowling put down her pen, and some of those speculations turned out to be correct, epecially on the major plotlines e.g. Snape was good, and Harry was a Horcrux - it did not spoil my fun of actually reading the book. I felt very much part of the story, and it was especially touching how Rowling wrote about Harry’s fears of sacrificing himself for the greater good, it was moving, and it felt real. How Rowling chose to reveal Snape’s story was also almost matter-of-fact, but no less poignant as we read between the lines of his undying love for Lily Potter. Do we need flowery romance in this instance to be moved? Heck, no!
Many people have commented about the epilogue of the book. I guess this being ultimately a children’s book, it should have a nice round happy ending. Personally I did not like the thought of Harry ending up with Ginny - ewww - but it did offer us some sort of closure. I would have prefered Rowling ended with Harry, Hermoine and Ron at age 17, looking forward to a Voldomort-less future. Another small point of disatisfaction was how Albus Dumbledore was popping up all over the book to assist Harry even though he was dead!!! This takes away the sadness and grief one feels when a person died, since they can always come back to life!
Nevertheless it was an excellent book. I will definitely miss Harry. Bye Potter!
Rating: 4.5 boos out of 5
