Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) in Books for Poppies

Oct 05, 2007 Louis rated it really liked it

Like the other Harry Potter books, this one has a theme of choices over background, that
you are not a product of your environment, the labels that are on you, your parents, but you are a product of your choices. And as promised, this book continues the darkening tone that has been progressing since the Goblet of Fire. Yet more people die. Evil is ascendant. And in a sophistication completely unexpected, the book gives a description of people involved in an honest-to-goodness-insurgency in their Like the other Harry Potter books, this one has a theme of choices over background, that
you are not a product of your environment, the labels that are on you, your parents, but you are a product of your choices. And as promised, this book continues the darkening tone that has been progressing since the Goblet of Fire. Yet more people die. Evil is ascendant. And in a sophistication completely unexpected, the book gives a description of people involved in an honest-to-goodness-insurgency in their proper english shopkeeper sort of way. I found that particularly entertaining

But even so, this is definitely a book aimed at younger (teenage) readers. The Harry angst that got really annoying in Half-Blood Prince is still in full form, but at least JKR let other characters join in the self-destructive attitudes in the midst of something deadly serious. The jealousy and child crush side plotlines in the midst of serious hazard would have been pathetic if I did not know people like that (and not just kids, fortunately, not where I am now) I also don't like dream sequences in general, and the chapters where we go through the memories in the Pensieve seem like cheating, alot like the holodeck episodes in Star Treck: The Next Generation. Although, the scenes where Harry and Voldemort connect in each others minds actually comes across quite well, probably because of the heavy toll it takes on Harry (and apparently Vodemort as well.

But what makes this book work is the steadily growing sense of doom. That evil is growing ever stronger and the heroes and their friends grow deeper into peril at every turn. Learning that at every page the enemy has attained another victory, has gotten stronger, and has gotten closer to its main goal, while our heroes are more weary, discouraged, friends are lost or fall away out of despair. With just enough successes not to fail, we reach the last desparate end. And we actually do not believe that any character or cause is immune from being lost.

JKR did seem to have to tie up too many plotlines, including some that probably would not have been noticed if they were not tied up. The Snape plotline was too clever by half. It probably entertained (no toyed with) those who got caught up in "Snape Friend/Snape Foe" marketing. But JKR probably hit her audience right, this is a children's/young adult book.

The ending was satisfying. Grief, resignation, pain, joy, gladness, healing and hurt all rolled up in one, like many other grand endeavors. Not super deep, but very entertaining. as intended. And I did read the whole thing that first night. Also probably intended. ...more

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Nov 22, 2016 Hannah added it

Shelves: 2014-planned-reads

I had forgotten how emotionally intense Hallows is. I found my eyes welling up several times yesterday. But now I can say that I reread the entire Harry Pottet series in 2016.

But can we just pretend that Cursed Child never happened? Because... just... no. I reread the original seven. I just saw the first installment of Fantastic Beasts. How... how did Cursed Child even HAPPEN? Who were those lifeless, caricatured people? I remain convinced that we should just pretend it never happened.

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