The proposal passed: msbelle "Sunnydale Press" Dec 24, 2005 8:51:57 am PST and this thread is now closed.

This thread is now reopened and repurposed to contain discussion of the most recent and final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

***SPOILER ALERT***

***Spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will follow shortly. Read at your own risk.***





We really mean it about the spoilers. Probably stuff happens in the book. And we'll talk about it. And it's out now. Some of us have it. And like, read it and stuff.

Don't say we didn't warn you. Honest, we tried.

Enjoy.

It's been over 10 hours on East Coast and no posts. I think the midnight book purchasers partied at the stores too late to actually read. Don't have my copy yet, but subscribed because spoilers ahoy!

I posted some thoughts in Literary. Maybe I'll X-Post them.

ETA: done

How rude.

I finished it about 7 and half hours ago. It was 7:30 a.m. in Edinburgh, so I decided to go to bed rather than surf the interwebs at the time, since I figured I was done before most people.

A few thoughts (I'll talk more after others post later):

I thought that, overall, it was a good read. Very plot-heavy, which makes sense considering how much she needed to stick in there, and is good because that's where JK's strengths lie.

I liked the idea of the Hallows vs. the Horcrux, and Dumbledore as fallible, and the fact that nearly ALL of my predictions came true (Snape hearts Lily, Snape is a badass, Harry's a Horcrux, Neville plays a major plot point role) and I liked Kreacher's turnaround, speaking of SPEW. Yay for Ron/Hermione finally getting some snog time. I still think it would have been more emotionally wrenching and satisfying if somebody really major died - Neville or Luna at least - but I can't really complain that the ending was happy. I like a happy. Re: the epilogue, I'm glad Draco didn't end up dead or imprisoned and has a chance to continue the tradition of providing Weasleys with enemies, and I love Neville as a Hogwarts prof.

I wish there had been more Neville, Ginny, and Luna time. I feel like there's a novel somewhere about their adventures at Hogwarts, and if JKR doesn't write it I hope somebody with good fic-writing skills does, without shoving in a romance story (though Neville/Luna can be cute if done correctly, there's simply no basis for it in canon, and I want to read a story that fits the canon there.)

I'ma read it again. Slowly. I know I missed things, especially as I was still a bit tipsy for the first 100 pages or so.

Thanks for the early report, Gris. Yay for well done and happy endings! I'm so pleased that you were able to be in Edinburgh to have this early reading opportunity.

I just finished. Read from 2:30 until 4 am then got up at 9 and just finished.

Too many thoughts in my head at present.

Loved it. Almost everything I thought would happen, happened. And I am most pleased.

And also, quite a little sad. Joe thought I was crying because of happeneings in the book when I handed it over to him.

I was crying because it's done and I'm happy and sad for us. I reckon I'll be a mess when the final movie comes out.

Now I must go wash the pink out of my hair and go grocery shopping.

Just finished it.

Wow.

It did drag a bit in the middle--the whole Hallows thing was starting to bog down some, but what a nice wrap-up. I was surprised at how cold and calculating Dumbledore appeared midway through, but the final discussion vindicated him. Loved Snape, Neville rocks (when the sword appeared for him, I pumped my fist in the air--"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat!"), but all the death and destruction did get a bit oppressive.

When Harry used the Resurrection Stone, I admit it...I started sobbing. And cried pretty much through the end of that chapter.

I'll post more when I can mull this over and do a bit of rereading. Right now, though, I am still in my nightshirt, and I think it's time for me to finally get changed and get something to eat!

I cried over Fred and Hedwig.

And it occured to me on my way home from the grocery store that now, all of Harry's connections to his parents are dead. Sirius, Dumbeldore, Lupin, even Snape. I'm more sad about Snape, though, that he and Harry never had a chance to talk about Lily as a young girl, so that Harry could see and learn more about that phase in Lily's life.

One thing I didn't like? Molly using the word, "Bitch". Completely out of character.

And a question? Are Unforgivable curses forgiven in a time of war? I would imagine so, but am are not sure.

I saw the "bitch" reference as an Aliens shoutout, but yes, very out of character for Molly.

I had great fears for the lives of Molly and Arthur because I was convinced JKR would eliminate at least one of the Weasleys, but was sure she would never touch either of the Twins. Guess I was wrong--his death had my mouth hanging open. Unfortunately, I thought Remus and Tonks were toast for quite some time now, ever since I read an interview with JKR where she said she just had to kill off two characters, and she cried over doing so. I had a feeling it was those two, and I'm guessing I was right.

Hedwig's death was the first time I blurted "NO!" reading DH, but it wasn't the last.

Ron being a git wasn't a big surprise given his character arc, but I was pretty shocked when he actually left them behind, even for the short while. Loved the first kiss, though--I think I'll use "Oi, there's a war going on here!" as my new tagline.

I missed that!!! Where the hell is it???