And, what Juliebird said. Actually, that's an issue I have with a lot of current fiction--it doesn't give me enough denouement. The story just STOPS. I want to see the repercussions, the mourning, the celebration. That's one thing I really like about Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel books--she gives me enough closure after the climax. The characters don't just win the battle, they win the battle and have a masked ball in the palace to celebrate, with just enough solemnity to mourn whoever died along the way.
Mal ,'Shindig'
The Buffista Book Club: the Harry Potter iteration
This thread is a focused discussion group. Please see the first post below for the current topic and upcoming book discussions. While natter will inevitably happen, we encourage you to treat this like a virtual book club and try to keep your posts in that spirit.
By consensus, this thread is reopened specifically to discuss Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It will be closed again once that discussion has run its course.
***SPOILER ALERT***
I am not afraid of cows, but neither do I dismiss them.
I can't see cows anymore. I just see tractors going moo.
One thing from the Dateline special is that JK said if she had to go back and change anything, she would re-edit Order of the Phoenix, because it was too long. I was like, "Amen to that." Then I realized that I'd rather see a re-edit of Goblet of Fire.
One of the things I'd like to know is; what happened to Umbridge? It would've been nice to see her get her comeuppance.
The thing that struck me about the ending was that it was very clearly not a "Never Again" sort of ending.
Very much not. Rowling writes a very cyclical world with parallels all over the place and you can see where different choices have lead people on very different paths. It's a magical world where the most basic non-magical choices are what ultimately matters.
Its pretty subversive children's literature in my opinion: good guys can be bad and bad buys can be good, they people you trust sometimes hide things from you, the government lies to you (particularly in times of strife), your fate depends on the choices you make, and bad things will happen over and over again.
One of the thinks I love about Slytherine house is that what they're into is power. That doesn't MAKE you bad, but it does (and should) make other people question your actions. They're not all dark wizards, but that's where all the dark wizards come from. That notion filtering into the psychies of millions of children the way the hard work and independence of the Ingalls or the faith in goodness and intelligence of everyone in Narnia filtered into mine is going to be a really interesting thing to see as they all grow up.
Now that I have seen Neville "cleaned up" I REALLY can't wait to see him cut Nagini in half in the movie! Go team Neville!
I think Fred and George are cuter as Fred and George, somehow.
I predict that when Neville's looking all Tortued Wes -like in the seventh movie, Plei will immediately come in and claim him for her own.
But she will be late, right?
Aimee -- I watched JKRowling on Dateline last night and I think that you should play her in the movie of her life. There is a resemblance.
Snape is an amazing character to find in "children's literature". Someone can despise the hero--and be despised *by* the hero--and still that person is crucial to the success of the venture. Sometimes you just have to trust somebody.