Anna B. goes to graduate school. A study in--going to the UK as often as possible? Insecurities and fraud? Gothic literature? Finding a minor and/or a mentor? Probably.
I've just finished and If you want me to ruin it for you I will not but I will say that this is my favorite Harry Potter book EVER!!! J.K. Rowling sure packed it in and I have no idea how they can fit this book in a movie any shorter than 5 hours but they will find a way.
At Chapter Five I definitely felt that Dumbledore was coming back and that there was no way that Snape was good.
I want to know your feelings on how it is though mom feels like Sam and Frodo heading towards Mt. Doom with no hope or salvation. I felt like Murphy in everything that could go wrong...
I am about 200 pages from the end. I am loving it. It really is a good book. I still do not see how it is going to end, but I am enjoying all the twists and turns and the weavings of events and characters together. I especially liked the time at shell cottage with Bill and Fleur when Harry begins to understand so many things...how to block Voldemort...what it is he must do...he is coming into his own and I begin to see how he is going to be a great wizard...that it has something to do with great wizarding knowledge and knowledge of magic, but that it is somehow intuitive to harry and he is learning to trust that part of him. good stuff...JK may have been a single mother, but she was not an unintelligent single mother. This is and intelligent series.
I finished today. Can't wait to hear what all of you have to say. I very much enjoyed it....will reread the ending so that I understand it fully....Wow...
Will do! I'm about 2oo pgs from the end, and I felt like Mom. I also loved the Shell Cottage part, when Harry started to figure things out. I'll hopefully be done soon!! I have no idea how this will end. I'm excited to get back to the Snape plot. It's killing me!!!
I think what she did with Snape was tough, but I thought it was more classic than to have him and Harry become best friends. Wow, I am still very impressed with how she brought all the loose ends together and used all of the things that she had set up in order to do that....the pensieve, Rita Skeeter, all the different curses and magic - polyjuice, imperius, etc. amazing imagination that held together through 7 volumes. Great story with a great message that she developed a little at a time until we believed in Harry, but thought he couldn't do it without Dumbledore and how Harry became such a great wizard not because of magic, but because of something in his character. I also thought the weaving in of Lily Potter at the end was very good...could she have done it sooner...I don't think so...it came at the perfect time for Harry and for all of us. The Hallows were a great addition to and fitting ending to the book -could really make a great discussion about immortatlity and the quest for it...why and what does it do for us...and the universality of it in Christianity. Also love how Luna and Neville were brought in at the end along with Hagrid....good stuff. Be interested to hear how others felt.
MOM
ps I was very nervous with the Goblin and the Gringotts episode....I felt Bill's warning to Harry was very unnerving...and although Harry lost the sword at that point, I was glad his dealings with the goblin were over. By the way, how did Neville get the sword at the end?
Mom, I just was able to read your comments more carefully, and I totally agree with what you say. I thought it was great how she helped Harry come into his own. She's a great writer. And I also loved how Ron finally came into his own as well. Great line by Ron at the end!
I loved Luna too, but Xeno lost me when he betrayed Harry. Neville was wonderful as were Dean and Seamus....the little bit with Ted Tonks and Dean and the goblins on the shore where Harry listens in to their conversation were great as well...it was a time when the reader got the feeling that good people were still resisting V. Love McGonagall and the other teachers at the end...so wonderful. Loved the ending with Dumbledore...loved the revelations about himself and that no one really knows everything...no one knows all the ins and outs of the game of life....not even Dumbledore. The wand interchange and who really has the Elder Wand was a bit confusing....why would Draco have it if he did not kill Dumbledore. It would be Snape's and then V because V killed Snape. I have to read that part again so it is square in my mind. Anyway, great read. Sad to see it end, but kudos to JK. MOM
I think that because Draco was the one who disarmed Dumbledore (said Expelliarmus) that Draco was the rightful owner of the Elder Wand, even though Snape killed him. It seemed like because Snape killing Dumbledore was set up ahead of time, it didn't count as taking over the wand. But even if Draco was the rightful owner, Draco didn't physically possess the wand after that, and it got buried with Dumbledore. So when Harry disarmed Draco, did the wand that was still in Dumbledore's grave, know to change ownership to Harry? It was Draco's original wand Harry took at that time right? So at the end it seemed like V had the Elder Wand but it knew that Harry was its rightful owner? It's confusing to me...
I also don't understand how Neville got the sword at the end...
I agree with Anna, I loved how Ron came into his own. He's always seemed so far behind Harry and Hermione skill/knowledge wise and he took a big step toward catching them in this book.
So the baby at Kings Cross was Voldermort?
It is amazing how she connects everything through seven books. She's a great author.
All good questions. I think you are right. Draco did not have the Elder Wand....Voldemort did get it from Dumbledore...but it never was the powerful wand he wanted it to be for him because Draco was the rightful owner....when Harry disarmed Draco, he then became the rightful owner....now wait a minute...I need to read the Kings Crossing chapter again!
I thought the baby or whatever it was at Kings Cross was V. Not totally clear.
I need to reread the last 200 pages to satisfy myself on the wand and Gryffindor's sword.
I agree--that's how the Elder wand thing worked. I thought the baby was V as well--beyond the help of Harry or D. As far as Neville goes--did V steal it back from Griphook, and then Neville get a hold of it somehow? Anyhow, I'm so glad you've finished Amy! I feel like I want to read it again--this Christmas.
Dad is so funny...he just called from work. He listens to HP7 in the car and then reads a little before bed each night....he called to say that he thinks that harry must be one of the horcruxes....pretty good, eh?
Wow...I can't believe he guessed that. I was so far from that thought ever crossing my mind. Except it was an accidental Horcrux, not planned by Voldemort, right?
I reread the part where Neville kills the snake, and it says he pulls the sword out of the sorting hat that V had set on fire on Neville's head a moment before. Maybe the sorting hat had the magical powers to get the sword back from the goblin? Amy
Just read Mom's take on Snape's death. Agree totally. It would have cheapened the character's to make them friends. I like how she does it with the internal struggle to love or hate Harry, but still does the right thing.
"You forbid me from revealing the best of you? Very well."
Rob and I were talking about some favorite parts after letting the book settle on our minds....we agreed that the death of Dobby is one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the book. That is really such and important look into Harry's character. I loved it.
Don set me up with an interview of JKR...in it she replies to a young reader who asks about Snape being a hero. She says that she does not think of Snape as a hero. He was mean and small minded, but he had courage. I like how she kept that honest right up to the end.
The whole series is calling me for a reread....not today or tomorrow...maybe a little here and a little there. It will be nice to read minus the headlong race to the end!
27 comments:
So, is Dumbledore coming back?
And is Snape good? I'm starting to doubt it.
I've just finished and If you want me to ruin it for you I will not but I will say that this is my favorite Harry Potter book EVER!!! J.K. Rowling sure packed it in and I have no idea how they can fit this book in a movie any shorter than 5 hours but they will find a way.
At Chapter Five I definitely felt that Dumbledore was coming back and that there was no way that Snape was good.
Small edit: I of course felt this before I started the book so my feelings are no suprise. Enjoy!
I can't believe you've finished it!!! I'll hurry!
I want to know your feelings on how it is though mom feels like Sam and Frodo heading towards Mt. Doom with no hope or salvation. I felt like Murphy in everything that could go wrong...
I am about 200 pages from the end. I am loving it. It really is a good book. I still do not see how it is going to end, but I am enjoying all the twists and turns and the weavings of events and characters together. I especially liked the time at shell cottage with Bill and Fleur when Harry begins to understand so many things...how to block Voldemort...what it is he must do...he is coming into his own and I begin to see how he is going to be a great wizard...that it has something to do with great wizarding knowledge and knowledge of magic, but that it is somehow intuitive to harry and he is learning to trust that part of him. good stuff...JK may have been a single mother, but she was not an unintelligent single mother. This is and intelligent series.
I finished today. Can't wait to hear what all of you have to say. I very much enjoyed it....will reread the ending so that I understand it fully....Wow...
Hey Anna! could you make a spoiler post area so we can talk without spoiling it for others?
Will do! I'm about 2oo pgs from the end, and I felt like Mom. I also loved the Shell Cottage part, when Harry started to figure things out. I'll hopefully be done soon!! I have no idea how this will end. I'm excited to get back to the Snape plot. It's killing me!!!
I think what she did with Snape was tough, but I thought it was more classic than to have him and Harry become best friends. Wow, I am still very impressed with how she brought all the loose ends together and used all of the things that she had set up in order to do that....the pensieve, Rita Skeeter, all the different curses and magic - polyjuice, imperius, etc. amazing imagination that held together through 7 volumes. Great story with a great message that she developed a little at a time until we believed in Harry, but thought he couldn't do it without Dumbledore and how Harry became such a great wizard not because of magic, but because of something in his character. I also thought the weaving in of Lily Potter at the end was very good...could she have done it sooner...I don't think so...it came at the perfect time for Harry and for all of us. The Hallows were a great addition to and fitting ending to the book -could really make a great discussion about immortatlity and the quest for it...why and what does it do for us...and the universality of it in Christianity. Also love how Luna and Neville were brought in at the end along with Hagrid....good stuff. Be interested to hear how others felt.
MOM
ps I was very nervous with the Goblin and the Gringotts episode....I felt Bill's warning to Harry was very unnerving...and although Harry lost the sword at that point, I was glad his dealings with the goblin were over. By the way, how did Neville get the sword at the end?
I also absolutely loved Neville and Luna. I also loved McGonagall and Flitwick. SO GOOD!
Mom, I just was able to read your comments more carefully, and I totally agree with what you say. I thought it was great how she helped Harry come into his own. She's a great writer. And I also loved how Ron finally came into his own as well. Great line by Ron at the end!
I loved Luna too, but Xeno lost me when he betrayed Harry. Neville was wonderful as were Dean and Seamus....the little bit with Ted Tonks and Dean and the goblins on the shore where Harry listens in to their conversation were great as well...it was a time when the reader got the feeling that good people were still resisting V. Love McGonagall and the other teachers at the end...so wonderful. Loved the ending with Dumbledore...loved the revelations about himself and that no one really knows everything...no one knows all the ins and outs of the game of life....not even Dumbledore. The wand interchange and who really has the Elder Wand was a bit confusing....why would Draco have it if he did not kill Dumbledore. It would be Snape's and then V because V killed Snape. I have to read that part again so it is square in my mind. Anyway, great read. Sad to see it end, but kudos to JK. MOM
I think that because Draco was the one who disarmed Dumbledore (said Expelliarmus) that Draco was the rightful owner of the Elder Wand, even though Snape killed him. It seemed like because Snape killing Dumbledore was set up ahead of time, it didn't count as taking over the wand. But even if Draco was the rightful owner, Draco didn't physically possess the wand after that, and it got buried with Dumbledore. So when Harry disarmed Draco, did the wand that was still in Dumbledore's grave, know to change ownership to Harry? It was Draco's original wand Harry took at that time right? So at the end it seemed like V had the Elder Wand but it knew that Harry was its rightful owner? It's confusing to me...
I also don't understand how Neville got the sword at the end...
I agree with Anna, I loved how Ron came into his own. He's always seemed so far behind Harry and Hermione skill/knowledge wise and he took a big step toward catching them in this book.
So the baby at Kings Cross was Voldermort?
It is amazing how she connects everything through seven books. She's a great author.
Amy
All good questions. I think you are right. Draco did not have the Elder Wand....Voldemort did get it from Dumbledore...but it never was the powerful wand he wanted it to be for him because Draco was the rightful owner....when Harry disarmed Draco, he then became the rightful owner....now wait a minute...I need to read the Kings Crossing chapter again!
I thought the baby or whatever it was at Kings Cross was V. Not totally clear.
I need to reread the last 200 pages to satisfy myself on the wand and Gryffindor's sword.
Mom
I agree--that's how the Elder wand thing worked. I thought the baby was V as well--beyond the help of Harry or D. As far as Neville goes--did V steal it back from Griphook, and then Neville get a hold of it somehow? Anyhow, I'm so glad you've finished Amy! I feel like I want to read it again--this Christmas.
Dad is so funny...he just called from work. He listens to HP7 in the car and then reads a little before bed each night....he called to say that he thinks that harry must be one of the horcruxes....pretty good, eh?
I love dad! So smart!!
Wow...I can't believe he guessed that. I was so far from that thought ever crossing my mind. Except it was an accidental Horcrux, not planned by Voldemort, right?
I reread the part where Neville kills the snake, and it says he pulls the sword out of the sorting hat that V had set on fire on Neville's head a moment before. Maybe the sorting hat had the magical powers to get the sword back from the goblin?
Amy
Good one Amy! That totally makes sense, too. And it's cool because it means that he's a true Grif. which he worried about.
Just finished last night.
Favorite scene was Snape telling Harry "Look at me!" and the pensieve memories.
Alan Rickman was the best casting choice.
My take on the The Thing at King's Cross. It was the remainder of Voldemort's fractured soul.
Just read Mom's take on Snape's death. Agree totally. It would have cheapened the character's to make them friends. I like how she does it with the internal struggle to love or hate Harry, but still does the right thing.
"You forbid me from revealing the best of you? Very well."
I totally agree! I'm so glad you decided to read it. I also loved the pensieve w/ snape. Amen to Alan Rickman.
Also, speaking of good casting choices, two thumbs up for Helena Bonham-Carter as Bellatrix.
She is good a nut. Ever since Ophelia...
Rob and I were talking about some favorite parts after letting the book settle on our minds....we agreed that the death of Dobby is one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the book. That is really such and important look into Harry's character. I loved it.
Don set me up with an interview of JKR...in it she replies to a young reader who asks about Snape being a hero. She says that she does not think of Snape as a hero. He was mean and small minded, but he had courage. I like how she kept that honest right up to the end.
The whole series is calling me for a reread....not today or tomorrow...maybe a little here and a little there. It will be nice to read minus the headlong race to the end!
Hey, Don, post that interview! I want to see it!
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