Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) (Deluxe Edition)

by J.K. Rowling

book data

182,707 ratings, 4.45 average rating, 17,245 reviews (more data...)

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published

July 21st 2007 (first published 2001) by Arthur A. Levine Books

binding

Hardcover, 784 pages

characters

Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, ...more

setting

The United Kingdom

isbn

0545029376 (isbn13: 9780545029377)

description

Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles...more

[close] Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham <p clear="all"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Deluxe Edition Details
The Deluxe Edition includes an exclusive insert featuring near-scale reproductions of Mary GrandPré's interior art, as well as never-before-seen full-color frontispiece art on special paper. The custom-designed slipcase is foil-stamped and contains a full-cloth case book that has been blind-stamped on front and back cover with foil stamping on the spine. The book includes full-color endpapers featuring the jacket art from the trade edition and a wraparound jacket featuring art created especially for this edition by Mary GrandPré. <p clear="all"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Visit the Harry Potter Store
Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more. <br clear="all">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Begin at the Beginning
<table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr class="tiny" valign="top" align="center"> <td> Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hardcover
Paperback <td>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover
Paperback <td>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover
Paperback <td>Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover
Paperback <td>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover
Paperback <td>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hardcover
Paperback <br clear= "all"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy. <p clear="all">Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
<table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr valign="top" align="left"> <td> <td>* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. <p clear="all"> Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
<table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr valign="top" align="left"> <td> <td>* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. <p clear="all"> Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
<table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr valign="top" align="left"> <td> <td>* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. <p clear="all"> Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
<table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr valign="top" align="left"> <td> <td>* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. <p clear="all"> Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
<table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr valign="top" align="left">

<td> <td>* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

<p clear="all"> Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
<table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr valign="top" align="left">

<td> <td>* The introduction of the Horcrux.
* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions.
* Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
* The effects of Felix Felicis.

<p clear="all"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

<br clear="all">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Did You Know? <table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="95%" cellspacing="4"> <tr> <td> <td valign=center>The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. <td> <td valign=center>Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. <td> <td valign=center>Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer. <p clear="all"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">A Few Words from Mary GrandPré

"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.

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03/13/08

Tara rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: children-teenage, loathed, sci-fi-fantasy

Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: desperate Harry Potter Fans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Ok, before I start a few warnings. This will contain spoilers (though since I'm writing this a year after the release I don't think it's too much of a tragedy), it will be long and it will be negative because I really didn't like this book.

Reading books one to five I was very impressed with the storytelling from a novice novellist. There was magic, there were characters you could love, and sure there were some cliche'd storylines, but they were interspersed with really interesting ...more

Like this review? yes (58 people liked it)

34 comments

07/02/07

Suzie rated it:

(review of isbn 1551929767)

bookshelves: books-i-own, british-obsessions

Read in July, 2007

“I’m going to keep going until I succeed — or die. Don’t think I don’t know how this might end. I’ve known it for years.” — Harry Potter

Most seventeen-year olds don’t view the possibility of an early death as being, well, possible. But then again, most seventeen-year olds haven’t come face-to-face with death almost half a dozen times before their first kiss either.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final installment of the ridicul...more “I’m going to keep going until I succeed — or die. Don’t think I don’t know how this might end. I’ve known it for years.” — Harry Potter

Most seventeen-year olds don’t view the possibility of an early death as being, well, possible. But then again, most seventeen-year olds haven’t come face-to-face with death almost half a dozen times before their first kiss either.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final installment of the ridiculously popular Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling brilliantly ties up every loose end that she has planted over the last ten years since the very first outing of the series was published in 1997. Truly, Rowling has learned exactly what her fans want and subsequently delivers a book that answers every Potterhead’s questions — and then some.

Not only does Deathly Hallows revisit key places and characters from all of the previous six books, but Rowling even manages to make clever references to previous bits of dialogue from her earlier books. Case in point: near the end of the first Potter book, after Hermione fails to see the magical solution to saving the trio from a nasty patch of Devil’s Snare, Harry’s best mate Ron bellows “HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?” Now, six years later, Hermione finally gets her revenge on her red-headed friend when Ron believes that all is lost until Hermione yells to him “Are you a wizard, or what?” thus reminding Ron to use his wand to solve their problem. Subtle references such as this are a large part of what makes Rowling’s books so enjoyable to re-read as there are always deeper meanings and additional allusions that are often only discovered via multiple read-throughs.

Harry’s bold statement regarding his own potential death is also a prime example of how much Rowling truly wrote Harry’s last tale for her long-time fans. This line seems to read as a secret “shout-out” to the Potterites who have also known for years that the series might not end happily ever after. The prophecy in the fifth book revealed that “neither shall live while the other survives”, and therefore by the end of book seven either Harry or Voldemort had to die. Rowling cleverly fills her last installment with so many twists, turns and complications, however, that it becomes practically impossible to determine which way this book is going to end.

More than any of the other Potter books, Deathly Hallows is a true quest narrative, with the trio spending the majority of the story hunting for horcruxes and hallows whilst evading capture by Voldemort’s Death Eaters. The multiple close-calls that all three main characters find themselves in throughout the book add to the tension that continues to build until the predictably bloody battle at the end of the tale. The book does, after all, chronicle a brutal war, so be prepared for a lot of killing and, consequently, a lot of tears.

This is not to say that Deathly Hallows doesn’t offer up a great deal of laughs as well. The hilarious twins Fred and George Weasley make several appearances to ensure that the book isn’t all doom and gloom. By far, the funniest part of the story is the secret radio show Potterwatch, anonymously hosted by former Hogwarts Quidditch commentator Lee Jordan with special appearances from Fred, George, and ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts professor Remus Lupin. Rowling perfectly mixes this blend of humour, tragedy and adventure so that her epic-length novel never lags or drags.

To write a 607 page book that millions of die-hard fans around the world are able to devour in less than 24 hours is no mean feat, but Rowling’s farewell to the Boy Who Lived is an incredibly gripping page-turner that will leave all Potter lovers immensely satisfied.(less)

Like this review? yes (40 people liked it)

6 comments

07/27/07

Alexis rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in July, 2007

From an interview with Rowling on the Today show:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959323/
**SPOILERS:

Rowling said her original epilogue was “a lot more detailed,” including the name of every child born to the Weasley clan in the past 19 years. (Victoire, who was snogging Teddy — Lupin and Tonks’ son — is Bill and Fleur’s eldest.)

Harry, Ron and Hermione
We know that Harry marries Ginny and has three kids, essentially, as Rowling explains, creating ...more

Like this review? yes (37 people liked it)

13 comments

06/20/07

Sammy rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: the-best

Read in July, 2007

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Was this book so awesome because it finally addressed all those long unanswered questions? Yes. Was this book just fantastic because we finally know what happens to everyone? Yes. Was this book wonderful because Rowling was ruthless and took no prisoners? Yes. Was this book splendid because we knew all the characters and cared about them like they were real? Yes. Was this book so great because it made you laugh, cry, gasp, emote out loud? Yes. That was one of my favorite thin...more Was this book so awesome because it finally addressed all those long unanswered questions? Yes. Was this book just fantastic because we finally know what happens to everyone? Yes. Was this book wonderful because Rowling was ruthless and took no prisoners? Yes. Was this book splendid because we knew all the characters and cared about them like they were real? Yes. Was this book so great because it made you laugh, cry, gasp, emote out loud? Yes. That was one of my favorite things about the book. Regardless of where I was, whether it be sitting on the couch next to my roommate, alone in my room, or standing in my shop, I found myself cheering and gasping and all other sorts of reactions, I was just that into the story.The most emotional part for me, one of them at least, was when Dobby died. I don't know what it was about that, but I was sobbing and had tears streaming down my face. When they describe putting the socks on his feet, that was the part that opened the floodgates. I am one of those people that supports the theory that socks are a very imporant symbol in the Harry Potter series. I even did a report in one of my high school English classes on it. "Ron sat on the edge of the grave and stripped off his shoes and socks, which he placed upon the elf's bare feet. Dean produced a woolen hat, which Harry placed carefully upon Dobby's head, muffling his batlike ears." Rowling, master of subtle detail, still includes that brief mention of socks. It was that which really did me in.Another thing that impressed me was how well the story flowed. Probably a combination of being a good writer and knowing, without a doubt, where the story was going and what she wanted to have happen allowed Rowling to keep the story smooth and not jerky. So easily, especially in the beginning/middle chapters in Harry, Ron, and Hermione's search for Horcruxes things could have become so choppy. And while time did pass quickly in brief sections it still flowed. A lot of writers, even good writers, can't seem to make something like that work, yet Rowling did, proving herself yet again.I was also really impressed by her ballsy moves of killing off several main characters, especially right in the beginning. I thought it was going to be in the big final battle ('cause c'mon, you knew it was coming) that we lost all our favorites, not within the first few chapters. RIP Hedwig and Mad-Eye. That was one major way you got sucked in because you're thinking, "Oh my God! Characters I love are already dying! What the-" and then you keep going because you need to know if anyone else is going to kick it. For some reason though Rowling just loves killing off my favorite characters, Dumbledore, Moody, Fred (and George too in a way), Lupin, Tonks. I was especially angry over the Lupin/Tonks death. It felt like a sort of snub because, yay they're married! Yay, they're having a baby! Yay, he's a little metamorphmagus. Boo, both parents are suddenly dead. Rude. But I guess it made the whole thing hurt a lot more, and it did.Honestly, I felt Rowling tied things up beautifully and not in that harried, "Oh yeah about that? Um... this happens! Yeah, that's it!" I think many fans feel vindicated (i.e. the Snape/Lily shippers, those who thought Harry was a Horcrux, don't mess with Mrs. Weasley) after reading this book. Of course there are probably some who are broken down and upset that what they thought was going to happen didn't. In the end we all got one hell of a story and went on one fantastic adventure. No matter what happened, no matter who died or who ended up with who this book was more than I could have hoped for, I was not disappointed at all.All I can say now is: Jo, thank you.(less)

Like this review? yes (18 people liked it)

9 comments

03/17/07

Montambo rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: death, young-adult

Read in January, 2007

Full-On SPOILERS! Watch OUT!

Top 13 Hallows Happenings that I Loved...

13) Dudley says, "I don't think you're a waste of space."

12) Kreacher cleans the house and makes them soup after Harry is appreciative of him and gives him a chance to do something for Regulus.

11) Harry takes Moody's eye off of Umbridge's door, even though this causes panic and frenzy at the ministry and almost gets them caught.

10) The visit to Luna's rook-sh...more

Like this review? yes (24 people liked it)

16 comments

08/05/07

Loren Harway rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: don't ask stupid questions

grrr. *spoilers*
This book was meant to be a masterpiece.
It wasn't. I was VERY disappointed with the last portion of the book. But the criticisms are for later.
I've always thought that JK's writing was admirable if a little underdeveloped, but the paragraphs just don't seem to flow together as well as they used to.
They finally leave school. I never thought they would, but it sure as hell was an exciting notion. However the lack of supporting characters (that you might find...more grrr. *spoilers*
This book was meant to be a masterpiece.
It wasn't. I was VERY disappointed with the last portion of the book. But the criticisms are for later.
I've always thought that JK's writing was admirable if a little underdeveloped, but the paragraphs just don't seem to flow together as well as they used to.
They finally leave school. I never thought they would, but it sure as hell was an exciting notion. However the lack of supporting characters (that you might find at Hogwarts) means that this book is darker and the lack of humour makes for a depressing hundred pages around pg200.
The deaths... a little weird how the human deaths are less effective, maybe that's just me but Hedwig and Dobby's deaths broke my heart. With mad-eye... well, he was an asshole so i didn't care. With Fred... well, there is another one so the impact is lessened. With Lupintonks... well if they were stupid enough to name Harry godfather (even THEY should have seen the parellalism!) then they deserve to die. No i don't mean that, but as we didn't see them die it seems less horrifying.
So much more interesting and original than the others this daring new direction led to some bad writing which didn't go anywhere in the end (wtf was the hallows about?).
The Hallows was a ridiculous idea and frankly i was horrified that Rowling was attempting to introduce such a 'major' theme in the last book with only one brief reference in book six. They were pointless, in the end what did it matter who had ownership of the elder wand? no one used it in 'the final duel' anyway.
I no longer like Dumbledore, JK dragged him through the mud and didn't thoroughly wash him off. Harry forgave him but i sure as hell didn't (and who didn't see the 'Harry is a Horcrux' thing coming?
The chapter 'King's cross' made me cry. But not because it was well written, rather the opposite, it didn't make sense at times (where the hell were they?) i had to reread the section on harry's 'phoenixlike' ability several times and i still hate it. It was so weak. This sequence was nothing like the other 'endofbookharryanddumbledore' explanations we have come to know and love. Nothing was explained in this chapter everything was re-explained and slightly embellished.
The chapters immediately preceding this were the real treat of the book, Snape is finally redeemed (although after ten years of waiting i did expect a better ironclad reason for trusting him than loving lily). Harry facing his mortality is heartbreaking even though most of us have imagined it countless times. The moment right before his death is about as perfect an HP moment there is. He should have stayed dead and the narration flick to another.
Voldemort's Invincible Army is defeated too easily and Bellatrix's death is unsatisfying as Molly has no real motive for revenge (nono Fred's death doesn't count). Harry should have done it. He also should have performed at least one killing curse in the book, he performed the other unforgivables, so why not?
Voldemort is killed by a reflecting spell.
What?
WHAT?
Are you KIDDING me?
Could it possibly be more anticlimactic?
What was the point of the elder wand then? Why the elaborate buildup when Harry doesn't even perform the execution?
Anyone could have duelled to a reflection, and since when can that happen?
A true HP fan must take alot on faith to enjoy this ending.
The less said about the epilogue the better. Probably been written since book one and it shows. There is no depth, any hp fan could guess (or assume) this ending, its not even worth reading. Albus Severus was the only icing on this unsatisfying and dry cake.
If you do read this book close it at the end of 'the forest again' and write your own ending.
OR wait for JK to realise her mistake and re publish with an alternate ending.
This was not a rant.(less)

Like this review? yes (17 people liked it)

11 comments

07/30/07

Eleanor rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: those who like epics, fantasy, magic, school

(shamelessly cross-posted from my livejournal entry) Spoilers below!

I remember picking up Harry Potter around the time that book 3 had come out. There had been buzz about the books in the post with a picture of JK standing by railroad tracks and some inside joke about "muggles." I probably wouldn't have read them had I not babysat for my nextdoor neighbor's kids who were 7 and 10 at the time, and asked me to read it to them as a bedtime story. What is so compelling about t...more (shamelessly cross-posted from my livejournal entry) Spoilers below!

I remember picking up Harry Potter around the time that book 3 had come out. There had been buzz about the books in the post with a picture of JK standing by railroad tracks and some inside joke about "muggles." I probably wouldn't have read them had I not babysat for my nextdoor neighbor's kids who were 7 and 10 at the time, and asked me to read it to them as a bedtime story. What is so compelling about these children's books? The well-woven archetypes, the mystery, the imaginative combination of fantasy and fancy? As another blogger put it, the books are overflowing with story. Never once are they a method for JK to assuage her vanity as a writer, because the writing itself isn't deep, their success is a result of Rowling being an increadibly steady storyteller whose approach has more than a few similarities to classic storytelling. Her main three characters account for the three things Aristotle named as the only necessary ingredients in successful rhetoric - Ethos (Harry) Pathos (Ron) and Logos (Hermione). She extends this to all aspects of the Harry Potter world, to houses in Hogwarts, their respective teachers, as well as borrowing latin for names of spells and words from other languages as names for characters-- Malfoy (quoting wikipedia) is derived from Old French "mal foi" or "mal foy," which means "bad faith" or "bad trust". The Old French mal foy itself is derived from Latin mala fide, which as a judicial term means intentional mischief, ill will or evil intentions.(/quoting wikipedia) Grimmauld place is also a pun on "grim old place." As far as the pacing, it takes into realistic account the rest and hunger the characters go through with no detail spared as to when and what the characters eat. For some reason this makes a story more effective to me, call me weird, I like reading about people eating. Though while I read the Odyssey this made me put the book down more than a few times because it made me hungry. Anyhow, the constant thread through these books was the final showdown that had to happen between Harry and Voldemort, though I think I would have read them anyway for her generously detailed fantastic world...

I was surprised Harry didn't die. I really thought it was going to happen and was a little disappointed with the end, mostly because the meeting with Dumbledore in the train station purgatory was a bit much of a deus ex machina for me. I know she had to vindicate Dumbledore and I thought that was fine but something about it was too clean and easy without her usual foreshadowing. I knew Snape would be vindicated in the end! I loved how she rounded out his story, all that was perfect. I was a huge fan of the way in which Rowling discredited the phrase "for the greater good" probably much to the confusion of most of her younger readers. Was a little taken aback at the vague comparison of that to the holocaust, how she wrote something like "for the greater good" was on the gates of a place where Grindewald killed people but it drove the point home. The Elder Wand ownership thing was...it was like she painted herself into a corner and had to get it resolved before she could finish the book, made the final duel a bit too, er, complex. But my favorite moment in all of these books came at the end of chapter 35 right before Harry regains consciousness for the final battle. It was the most elegant way to finish out this series that has made millions of children into avid readers:

"Tell me one last thing," said Harry. "Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"
Dumbledore beamed at him, and his voice sounded loud and strong in Harry's ears even though the bright mist was descending again obscuring his figure.
"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"(less)

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08/22/07

Rens rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in January, 2007

I will admit that Harry Potter is a guilty pleasure. I don't think that they are particularly well-written, and the majority of the plot devices are built upon cliches and thinly disguised appropriation of Tolkien. However, I have read the first six books because they were entertaining and a fun, quick read.

All the flaws of the first six books came into startling relief with this book. Misplaced pronouns abounded, cheesy descriptors and, oh yeah, filler, were the rule instead of t...more I will admit that Harry Potter is a guilty pleasure. I don't think that they are particularly well-written, and the majority of the plot devices are built upon cliches and thinly disguised appropriation of Tolkien. However, I have read the first six books because they were entertaining and a fun, quick read.

All the flaws of the first six books came into startling relief with this book. Misplaced pronouns abounded, cheesy descriptors and, oh yeah, filler, were the rule instead of the exception. It was almost as if Rowling felt the need to fill 700+ pages when 300 would have sufficed. While I'm sure that kids are proud of reading that many, there is no need to torture them with excessive adjectives and a winding plot that seems to only kill time.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

And the plot holes... oh god, the plot holes.
I don't think Rowling planned a head at all. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that; Tolkien wrote the Lord of the Rings without a solid game plan. What bugs me is the way that Rowling tries to pass things off as planning ahead. This is something that she has done all along, but it finally pushed me over the edge with book seven. The whole, "Oh yeah, the real reason this worked is because of this secret magic spell that we just happened to discover at this crucial plot point".

Case in point, the Horcruxes can only be destroyed by extra lethal means, that's the reason the baslisk fang worked on the diary, not simply because it was stabbed (as book 2 would have you believe)... "oh and by the way, baslisk fangs are really extra, extra poisonious".

Nevermind, the fact that the only reason I stuck through this book was discover where Snape's loyalties lay. I have to admit that Snape is one of my favorite characters. He is perhaps the most well-developed characters (unfortunately, mostly through the aforementioned, "oh yeah, by the way..." style flashbacks). After all, anyone who has visited a Barnes and Noble can attest that this was a major selling point. Much to my disappoint, this was only addressed as an afterthought. I wanted so much more for Snape, and he ended up just being a footnote in this atrocity.

And the epilogue is so over-the-top sappy, you're gonna wanna puke.

***END SPOILERS***

In conclusion, save your money. Imagine a better ending; I know you can!(less)

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06/14/08

Blaise rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in July, 2007

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Alright....here I go. I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and I enjoyed the first six books (yep, even HBP -Snape is my favorite...), but this book was freaking horrific. It really
was. All my Snape and Slytherin concerns start a few paragraphs down in the evil section

First off....those damn plot holes! The whole book is a
freaking plot hole.

Okay, so I don't see how anybody mentioned these concerns, but just how in the hell did Lily end up with James?! She didn't e...more

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12/18/07

Traci rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: pure-crap

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: no one

Why do I hate this book???
Oh, let me count the ways:
1. Predictable.
2. Ohmigosh, they're going to get caught!!! And they barely get away. How many times did that happen? At the wedding, at the cafe, in the woods, at the Malfoys, at Gringotts, at the Ministry, at Godric's Hallow ... ... ... at Luna's dad's house ... ... did I miss any??? I mean, after one such incident, there's a line that says something like, How they managed to escape from such a situation was beyond him ... ye...more Why do I hate this book???
Oh, let me count the ways:
1. Predictable.
2. Ohmigosh, they're going to get caught!!! And they barely get away. How many times did that happen? At the wedding, at the cafe, in the woods, at the Malfoys, at Gringotts, at the Ministry, at Godric's Hallow ... ... ... at Luna's dad's house ... ... did I miss any??? I mean, after one such incident, there's a line that says something like, How they managed to escape from such a situation was beyond him ... yeah, that's because it's a freakin' novel.
3. What the fuck was up with that chapter with Dumbledore? It's like JK Rowling was trying too hard to make this book more than the good story it should have been.
4. Draco was ignored, explained away as a just a contrived plot point.
5. Ron leaving and then coming back to save Harry - contrived plot point.
6. Ron and Hermione finally kissing ... in the middle of a war ... in the middle of a hallway that's about to fall apart ... ... sure, that's going to happen.
7. Who the fuck cares about the characters that did die? I mean, only the Weasely twin was someone important.
8. And of course Hedwig died. Harry couldn't have a way to communicate with the Wizarding world now could he.
9. Lord Voldemort has been foiled by Harry how many times now? And when he "kills" Harry, don't you think that a wizard mastermind who's been foiled by this stupid boy as many times as he had, would go make sure the little prat is dead himself? Like he'd go poke him with his wand or something?
10. Hermione, in every other book, has had some sort of thing that only she can figure out, but in this book she suddenly becomes this little wussy girl that lets Harry walk all over her.
--
It took me FOUR days to read this book. FOUR!!! I - little miss read the HP books in ten hours straight - put this book down volutarily for three nights in a row. It took all my self-discipline not to throw it across the room.
There were two redeeming parts of this book. Just two.
1. At the Malfoy's when Ron is screaming for Hermione.
2. The chapter about Snape.
That's it.
And the Epilogue sucked.
(less)

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07/21/07

Brahm rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: fantasy

Few books, if any, have recieved as much hype as the Harry Potter series- whether deservedly or undeservedly is a question better asked of the series as a whole, rather than this one book. Deathly Hallows is radically different from its predecessors. Rowling has rid herself of the Harry Potter set formula- a refreshing change, as at this point in the series, games like Quidditch and grades seem rather irrelevant. The plot follows Harry, Ron and Hermione as they search for the Horcruxes and later...more Few books, if any, have recieved as much hype as the Harry Potter series- whether deservedly or undeservedly is a question better asked of the series as a whole, rather than this one book. Deathly Hallows is radically different from its predecessors. Rowling has rid herself of the Harry Potter set formula- a refreshing change, as at this point in the series, games like Quidditch and grades seem rather irrelevant. The plot follows Harry, Ron and Hermione as they search for the Horcruxes and later on, the Deathly Hallows, a set of objects that might be just as important...

Although it is slightly sanitized, particularly in the torture scenes, Rowling gets points for turning this one into the darkest Potter yet. The entire book takes place in a war zone, and as such, attacks are constant, horrors are abound... and yes, characters do die. This constant frantic pace and dark atmosphere are a credit to the book and help the reader get into the same mindset as Harry and his friends: You're always on the lookout for further attacks, and frightened for your favourite characters. Voldemort's power seems overwhelming in this book- although he is still a weak villain in himself, being given no motivation save being evil for the sake of being evil (and playing at anagrams, a hobby of his as revealed in book 2). This sense of pervading dread, however. missing from the other Potter books, earns Rowling a star.

On the other hand, Rowling loses complete control of the plot here. The set of objects known as the Deathly Hallows (I'm trying to be as vague as possible here) are revealed as very important and as being centrally important to the series- yet they are presented without a hint of foreshadowing in any other of the books. It felt like Rowling was kind of making it up as she went along, and the fact that she had not really given thought to the overall structure of the series until perhaps book 6, with the just as abrupt introduction of the Horcruxes (though the Hallows grate more), seems apparent. The plot and magic also grow unnecessarily convoluted towards the end- Rowling has to make her magic work in ways that make little sense to get the plot going where she wants it to go, and the story thus seems unnatural and tacked on by its end. I will say, though, that the backstory sections involving Dumbledore and Grindelwald are very interesting and add a nice amount of depth to the old headmaster and to the wizarding world in general.

Another problem with Deathly Hallows is the writing in itself. Rowling's prose has never been great, but it has always been servicable, and her dialogue usually at least sharp. At several points here, however, she turns the cheese on and it does not stop- think of a scene similar to the Ewok rebellion in Return of the Jedi and you'll have hit the mark. A certain very important confrontation near the end is filled with an overabundance of clunky dialogue that ruins the mood completely. The last chapter is in itself horribly written, cheesy and reminded me more of bad fan fiction (I'm quite certain that all fan fiction is bad, so you can imagine how bad bad fan fiction is) than a proper conclusion to the book. The "fan fiction" vibe, as I call it, appears at several other points, though to a lesser extent- mainly during large exposition scenes. Characters can appear out of nowhere, having sudden reversals of mind without any foreshadowing- at points like those, the hyperbolic comparisons between Rowling and authors such as Dickens seem less apt than ever.

An enjoyable but dissapointing read.(less)

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07/23/07

Cristin rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: fantasy

Upon further reflection...I think this installment could have been much better. Perhaps Rowling was freaking out under the enormous pressure...never expecting her series to be so wildly adored by so many...Still, this book left something to be desired, I think. Rowling made so many predictable moves...and not even the ones that would have had more of an impact...

Snape could have been the hero of the entire series, for example. It would have been rather ironic, considering the fact th...more Upon further reflection...I think this installment could have been much better. Perhaps Rowling was freaking out under the enormous pressure...never expecting her series to be so wildly adored by so many...Still, this book left something to be desired, I think. Rowling made so many predictable moves...and not even the ones that would have had more of an impact...

Snape could have been the hero of the entire series, for example. It would have been rather ironic, considering the fact that he's been the object of every one's disdain--which would have made an outright act of heroism all the more outstanding. I understand that he made a significant contribution to Harry's safety, and Snape's storyline was heartbreaking and interesting...but he could have openly faced Voldermort. He could have raged and fought--he was a powerful wizard, after all... Snape should have gone out with a bang, I think--instead of a blood-soaked whimper.

Also..The necklace around Ron's neck...bringing all of his envy and mistrust to the surface...Where have we seen this before? (just take a glance at the Lord of the Rings)...Harry and Ron have already had that fight about inequity in popularity...been there, done that...Why revisit it in such an awkward, hackneyed way?

The gratuitous deaths also bother me. If you're going to kill a character off, kill one who is critical to Harry's development. Make Harry a three dimensional character! Do something earth-shattering to him!

Also--merely showing a pile of dead bodies on the floor doesn't drive the point home. Some peripheral characters were cast off, as though their deaths were intended to evoke a certain emotion--yet they were clearly not considered important enough to be given more than a page of recognition upon their demise...What does that lead the reader to feel about those characters?

Also, why the hell did Harry spend such a huge swath of the book sitting in a tent like a big doofus? Why didn't Rowling use all of those pages to illustrate the maturation of Harry's skill as a wizard--to give us some details as far as Voldermort was concerned...why wasn't there more conflict there? Why am I taking all of this so damn seriously is a better question...bleh.

There were some interesting bits in this book. I guess it's time for me to state it--there's better young adult fantasy out there...series that deserve just as much, if not much more recognition...as they are better written, better rendered, etc.

I do think of Harry Potter with fondness, however. Perhaps it's the combination of book and film...perhaps it's because so many friends of mine adore the books...I like them for their entertainment value...These are good pleasure reads--and could have been elevated to something much more. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this one.

(less)

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07/22/07

pinkgal rated it:

(review of isbn 0747591067)

bookshelves: magic_fairytale-esque

It was September 1998; the third Harry Potter book had just been released. Pottermania? What's that? It was still unknown except to a vast population of younglings who'd read it... and I fell in love. Oh, how I fell in love. I fell in love with the poor, starved-for-affection, later known to be a twit Harry. I fell in love with the pretentious know-it-all Hermione. I fell in love with the awkward, grew-up-in-his-brother's-shadows Ron... and most of all? I fell in love with the snarky, unplatable...more

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07/24/07

Rion rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: Big nerds

***SPOILERS:

From an interview with Rowling on the Today show:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19...

Rowling said her original epilogue was “a lot more detailed,” including the name of every child born to the Weasley clan in the past 19 years. (Victoire, who was snogging Teddy — Lupin and Tonks’ son — is Bill and Fleur’s eldest.)

Harry, Ron and Hermione
We know that Harry marries Ginny and has thre...more

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08/12/07

Amber rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: everyone who's read the previous books

[THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS, SO PLEASE DON'T READ IF YOU STILL HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK!]

I must say that the time waiting for the book was a lot more torturous than the actual read. there were all those forums and newsletters wondering 'would harry live or die?' 'is snape good or bad?' 'what if hogwarts burns to the ground and everyone dies?!' and furthermore, 'how long would it take for spoilers to come out in the media and from random mean people?'

The book didn't arr...more [THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS, SO PLEASE DON'T READ IF YOU STILL HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK!]

I must say that the time waiting for the book was a lot more torturous than the actual read. there were all those forums and newsletters wondering 'would harry live or die?' 'is snape good or bad?' 'what if hogwarts burns to the ground and everyone dies?!' and furthermore, 'how long would it take for spoilers to come out in the media and from random mean people?'

The book didn't arrive on my doorstep till the following week 'cause I chose free shipping at amazon, but miraculously enough I avoided all spoilers. the ones on my newsletter were easy enough by just scrolling real fast with my hand on the monitor as the thread appeared and disappeared. this easy avoidance of spoilers had me worried the book had no thrills whatsoever. especially reading enough at first to know people liked the book. no one would like if Harry were dead.

I was not one of those fast readers who finished it in about one second. no, it took me about four days which is a miracle to me. I fell asleep a lot during the camping phase of the story... well, at least till Harry had to jump in and get the sword and Ron showed back up. that made me loosen up a bit.. become one with the characters again. for awhile, it was just a surface read. see, I also wasn't one of the ones who reread the old books before starting, so I really needed a refresher on some of the lesser characters thus stopped in the midst of reading several times to google this info. at least I read enough threads from those who did read the other books over again, to keep certain clues in mind for the big finale.

Towards the end, when things heated up, I got a tad worried for Harry 'cause his death would seem courageous and the whole walking ghosts beside him through the woods bit really brought a tear to my eye.. this would be acceptable to all who read if he died this way, right? I thought about having to walk in (since it was around 6am by this time) with a tear in my eye to say Harry died. this idea sounded pathetic, but c'mon, climatic bit! too early to still be awake and reading! the Dumbledore appearance in 'his head'! (I liked this line most of all: "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" mom constantly tries to tell me that there isn't a difference between your inner world and your outer world.. what's the difference? what difference would it make if all life were just one big dream? anyway, I won't get too philosophical with this, but beyond what certain people may've thought about how Dumbledore was brought back to talk to Harry -- I had read this wasn't necessary -- I really enjoyed it)

So yes, it may've been a bit weak to bring Harry back from possible death, but I'd rather Harry live and get his happy ending than naught. I mean, who would've defeated Voldemort otherwise?

One small issue I had--though I am happy I got the Trust Snape sticker at Borders.. I knew better!-- was that Snape wasn't brought to rest at the end. he was just left apparently at Whomping Willow. does this mean he could possibly still be alive? ..the epilogue kind've proves otherwise though. I felt after all he did, he deserves more respect than just to have a namesake. I felt the most compassion for him during 'The Prince's Tale' chapter especially.

Beyond that, I didn't regret reading it (since I didn't really have any real wants and needs beyond the quality of the writing) or throw it across the room as apparently some people did (wtf?). one day I'll reread all the books again since I hear it's fun to see how connected they all really are. I think that's brilliant. this is the best children's / YA series I've ever had the chance of reading and am glad I picked it up when I did even if I didn't grow up with Harry.(less)

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08/05/08

Jamie rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in August, 2007

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Like every other being on the English-speaking parts of the planet, I picked up J.K. Rowling's new Harry Potter book on the day it came out. This is the final Potter, and after 10 years of following the series I was pretty interested to see how it would all turn out with Harry and his coterie are on the lamb and everything is going to hell now that the chief bad guy is seizing control of the wizarding world.

One of the things that I've always admired about this series is how they star...more Like every other being on the English-speaking parts of the planet, I picked up J.K. Rowling's new Harry Potter book on the day it came out. This is the final Potter, and after 10 years of following the series I was pretty interested to see how it would all turn out with Harry and his coterie are on the lamb and everything is going to hell now that the chief bad guy is seizing control of the wizarding world.

One of the things that I've always admired about this series is how they started off being childish and fanciful, then matured into more and more sophisticated, dark, and --oddly enough-- realistic books. The Deathly Hallows takes this trend to its conclusion, and not just because the body count is so alarmingly high by the end. I loved how this book looks full into the face of an issue that every one of us has had to deal with on our road towards adulthood: adults are flawed and fallible. And I'm not just talking about the bad guys here. I mean our friends fail us. Our authority figures fail us. Our parents fail us. But it's only because they're real, complex people and we can't see that until we've done some aging ourselves. I loved how Hallows expands on this theme by showing us how people like Dumbledore and even Harry's dad were, at least once, worse people than we thought they were, and how others like Snape and even the Malfoys are better than we thought they were. Rowling teases apart the simple, bold lines she used to draw her characters in the beginning of the series so that they are now possessed of shades and nuances that weren't there before. And yet it flows naturally and you can see that the groundwork was often laid thousands of pages ago.

The other thing to love about Hallows is, of course, that it's a rip-roaring good adventure. Despite the disappointing fact that it falls back on the tired old cliche of the quest to collect all the magicle foozles (actually, there are two sets of foozles in play here) so they can be combined/destroyed lest they save/explode the world, our favorite wizardly teens go from one exciting scene to the next. Well, mostly. I could have done with a lot less of the clomping around in the woods that goes on in the middle of the book, but otherwise it's just good entertainment. And things culminate in (MINOR SPOILER!!) a battle royale at Hogwarts towards the end of the book in which just about every major and minor character from the series gets called in to take the safeties off their wands and totally cut loose. That was just plain fun.

I did have a few problems with the book, but they were mostly minor. It dragged in the middle, as I said, to the point where it seemed like Rowling was just padding it out. I had also have had QUITE enough of Emo Potter and his hissy fit ways in the previous couple of installments, so that I was banging the book against my head when Harry started to get all pissy and emotional to the point of sundering his friendships. Thankfully Rowling moved on, in the name of character development if nothing else.

My only substantial disappointment with Gallows was how it lacked the sense of discovery and world building that earlier books had. What I loved about the early parts of the series was that Rowling's impressive imagination was on full display, meted out in revelations about the wizarding world, its mechanics, its societies, its places, its people, and its, well, magic. I loved finding out what she was going to think of next because it was entertaining and delightful. Hallows, on the other hand, is in full wrap-up mode. We get very little new except the chaos and loss that came out of breaking down everything we had come to know at that point. Still, I guess Rowling had to stop introducing new stuff at some point so that she could wrap it up even if the sense of wonder and discovery is greatly reduced.

So, thumbs up from me. The last 100 pages of the book create what is one of the most satisfying endings to an epic series that I can remember, and I'm really glad I've read the books. I hope that my kids read and enjoy them some day. It'll be fun to talk about them.(less)

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06/10/08

Adriana rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: be tossed in a garbage heap and set aflame

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I waited 9 years for Rowling to do the right thing and kill off the Christ Figure, you know, like the *professional* writers do. Don't get me wrong, Harry was my favorite character--brave, deeply loyal, naturally talented--all wonderful qualities not meant for this foul Earth. I wanted him to die in his prime, to be celebrated in song, like all the great heros before him. Alas...

Rowling didn't write so much a novel, as she did a Hollywood screenplay! Complete with lame wincing juveni...more I waited 9 years for Rowling to do the right thing and kill off the Christ Figure, you know, like the *professional* writers do. Don't get me wrong, Harry was my favorite character--brave, deeply loyal, naturally talented--all wonderful qualities not meant for this foul Earth. I wanted him to die in his prime, to be celebrated in song, like all the great heros before him. Alas...

Rowling didn't write so much a novel, as she did a Hollywood screenplay! Complete with lame wincing juvenile lines like the one uttered by Molly Weasley to Bellatrix LeStrange in the Battle for Hogwarts, "Not my daughter, you BITCH!" A line meant to draw applause, cheers, and laughter from a bunch of teenagers in a darkened movie theater, not a line that would have been used by the prim and proper mother, Molly Weasley, that we grew to know and love in books 1-6.

The book could have been better edited as there were long stretches of BORING reading throughout. It's as if Rowling just ran out of creative juices in the end and chose to let her fans write the final book for her. She inserted "PotterWatch" as a nod to the PotterCasters(PotterCast and MuggleCast), and she wrote in a nude scene for Harry Potter, as a nod to Daniel Radcliffe's nude stint in Equus. The whole *camping out in the forest waiting for something to happen* part was NOT something I expected after Book 6, when it was shown with such great care how Voldemort had hidden the locket horcrux. I can't believe they are making 2 films out of this, the crappiest book in the series!

Oh, and that Epilogue, where to begin? If Rowling sent out apology letters to all her fans for writing it, that still wouldn't be enough of an atonement! The woman should be tarred, feathered, drawn, and quartered for that criminally putrid Epilogue! The visual of a middle aged Harry Potter waiting at the train station to get to his 9 to 5 job was the let-down of the century. I loved Harry because he was special and because of his aura of destiny! I loved that, despite his emotionally abusive childhood, he chose to become a decent human being, instead of following Tom Riddle's path of evil and bitterness! I loved that, when presented with a challenge, he almost always chose to do the right and moral thing, over what was easy.

I didn't want to see him become a regular, boring adult, with a lame, humdrum life, he was too talented, too moral, too heroic for all of that mundane crap!(less)

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10/14/07

Lore rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

bookshelves: harrypotter

Read in June, 2007

recommends it for: no one

Deathly Hallows is in fierce competition with Half-Blood Prince as the worst book of the series. It is an extremely bloated book in which nothing much happens for chapters upon chapters because Rowling is dragging the storyline out -- so it can end at the end of the school year, like all the other books. Many plotlines of previous books are barely touched upon (S.P.E.W.) or "resolved" in an entirely dissatisfactory manner (Grawp, though I wasn't unhappy about not seeing more of him). ...more

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08/15/07

Reverend J. LeSchwes rated it:

(review of isbn 0545010225)

recommends it for: Lucius Malfoy

If the book had ended with the bizarre Harry Potter as suicide bomber death-march sequence, it would have been enough.
If it had ended with the cheezy Harry Potter goes to heaven sequence it would have been enough.
If it had ended with Harry Potter resurrected by Malfoy's mom like some Jesus/Judas/Frankenstein story I might still have given it three stars.
Let's face it, this is the most poorly written of the seven books- the language is clunky and redundant. It reads like an uned...more

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02/01/08

Chris rated it:

(review of isbn 0747595828)

bookshelves: fantasy, harry-potter

Read in July, 2007

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I liked it. I really did. I laughed, I cheered, I said "Holy SHIT!" at least twice.... I even got a little choked up at some points. All in all, I'd say it was a successful end to the series. Ms. Rowling deserves to take a little time off and enjoy basking in the glow of the knowledge that she has not only written seven successful books in ten years, but created an entire world that is big enough to fit hundreds more.

Anyway, about this actual book. It felt a lot longer than...more

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quotes from this book

"Listeners, that brings us to the end of another Potterwatch. We don’t know when it will be possible to broadcast again, but you can be sure we shall be back. Keep twiddling those dials: the next password will be ‘Mad-Eye.’ Keep each other safe. Keep faith. Good night." More quotes...