Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Aug 28, 2007 Nadine in NY Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi

Nicely ties up all the loose plot lines in a satisfying way, but I had the feeling that the author's heart just wasn't in it any more. This book did not particularly captivate me in the way that some of the older ones did. Epilogue was unbearably sappy and that really ruined the ending for me. ...more

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Sep 20, 2007 Carla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2007, not-own

It's over. The series I've followed by almost 10 years (since the first edition of the Philosopher's Stone was released in Portugal in October 1999 and in December I got my hands on my first HP book, the covers were still different from the American ones, which were adopted after by the editor with the copyrights for Portugal) it's over. I can't say I cared that much for the main character, but the story, that other world and the rest of the characters were interesting, making me read and re-rea It's over. The series I've followed by almost 10 years (since the first edition of the Philosopher's Stone was released in Portugal in October 1999 and in December I got my hands on my first HP book, the covers were still different from the American ones, which were adopted after by the editor with the copyrights for Portugal) it's over. I can't say I cared that much for the main character, but the story, that other world and the rest of the characters were interesting, making me read and re-read, for a countless number of times, at least the first three books. It was with a certain anxiety, curiosity and sadness that I read this last chapter of this saga.

Dumbledore died, but he left Harry with a hard task, to locate and destroy the Horcruxes, so to destroy Voldemort. Along with Ron and Hermione, his two best and inseparable friends, Harry starts a quest: looking for Horcruxes, objects with pieces of Voldemort's soul that enables him to live for he can't die as long as a piece of his soul still exists somewhere; but also looking for the Deathly Hallows, three relics in which few believe, for making part of a children's tale, but which legend tells that the owner of the three objects will become the "Master of Death", and in which Harry stumbles across due to his liaison with Voldemort and the clues Dumbledore left him.

The book follows the line of his predecessors where it comes to the narration, with the story being told by Harry, even when he looks into Voldemort's mind, just as happened in the fifth book. The big change is that the action doesn't take much place in Hogwarts, although we don't cease to visit it. So there's no classes and a lot of characters that we were used to, like the teachers, don't appear that much. However, we have a wider vision of what is happening in the world. There are two sides fighting, a war taking place and that's visible, although maybe not through out the entire book. This is the only error I have to point, but it can be explained by the fact that the trio was running and chose very isolated places to hide.

As for characters, we are introduced to some that only were mentioned previously, such as Tonk's parents, others become a bit more dimensional, like the Malfoys. Even Harry's character has grown, stop being that annoying boy who had a crush for playing the victim ('it's ME who has to do it and you don't know what I have to pass to do it, no one understands me, I'm such a Prima Donna!' :P ), to achieve his peak in this book, understanding that he can trust other people to share his burden, and accepting without fighting the role Dumbledore has destined him to.

There weren't much surprises but it didn't ceased to surprise me. The end is very well done, apart from the Epilogue, and although it goes against what I have expected, the death of Harry (in which he stays dead!), it explains very well the liaison between the two antagonists.

I have to congratulate J. K. Rowling for the inclusion of details that brings us back to the previous books, showing that everything culminates in this book, and I have to applaud her imagination. The world she has created, parallel to the one we live in, was beautifully created and described that I doubt there's someone who wouldn't like to step in it even if it was for awhile. ...more

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Feb 15, 2009 Carla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, own, audiobook

Again, for the second time, I get to the end of this saga. Having read this book for the first time not so long ago, just over two years ago, and having already left my opinion here I have nothing more to add except that, like the other audiobooks, Stephen Fry does a great job. It was certainly another way to enjoy one of the best stories I've ever had the pleasure to read. :D ...more

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Jul 30, 2007 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, yafiction

I can't believe it's over!

I suspect that by the time the first few books had come out, and Rowling's bankability grew, her editors didn't really have the ability to reign her in. And I think this book would have benefited from a bit more editing. But I still liked it, especially when taken in context of the entire Potter series. ...more

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Jul 31, 2007 Carrie rated it it was amazing

Well, I'm only a year later than everyone else, but I'm so glad I finally read book 7. And once I picked it up, I was done the same day. Thanks goodness for weekends. ...more

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