Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- J.K. Rowling

We went out to dinner in Portland Friday night, during Mugglefest.  I, of course, was wearing my Trust Snape t-shirt.  Not one, but two little girls -- separately -- called me a traitor! 

It ruled.

Obviously, I'm not going to really get into it here -- I'll save it for the comments, that way people'll have to click through.  I don't want to post anything spoileriffic here.

So.  That said, I had to force myself through the first three hundred pages, but after that I couldn't stop.

More in the spoiler-filled comments.

Comments

[Adam S.]

I witnessed a Harry Potter marriage proposal after a guy and his girlfriend got the book. I also noticed a lot more drunk soccer moms this year. And I too wore my Trust Snape shirt.

Everyone called me a traitor. FOOLS! FOOLS! I yelled. And little did they know....

[Jen Robinson]

I had faith in Snape all along, but I did start to question when it got late in the book, and he fled the school. But of course he was to be trusted all along. It didn't work otherwise, dramatically. I loved the patronus/always thing too. Loved seeing Neville be a hero at the end, too. And Molly Weasley. I thought that the death of Tonks and Lupin gave Harry a reason to live - he couldn't leave young Ted parentless and godfatherless, could he?

Re: the epilogue. Am I the only one who thinks that she's already planning a story the features the kids? Why else give them all names and personalities? She may never write it, but I think that she has it in mind. Not sure who Rose and Hugo are named after, though. Her own kids?

All in all, though, I am satisfied.

[tulip]

I am so sad I never got my Trust Snape shirt. I was so sad for him and I love him all the more now! I think the companion shirt should just say "Always". Sigh. I'm teary now again!!
Am I the only one who burst into tears when Percy showed back up? I was SO glad to see him back with his family. I LOVED "Stay away from them you BITCH!" I always knew Molly was a kickass witch. Honestly there are so many good things that I am getting ready to start it again and make sure I didn't miss anything!
All in all great job done and I really enjoyed the read. It is SUCH a relief to come over here! No one else I know has finished it!!!

[Miriam]

So many comments that have me saying, "Me too!" The bits with Harry, Hermione, and Ron in the tent for months on end dragged a bit, though I liked the interactions between them. (I couldn't believe Ron left, and I cheered when he came back.) I never had a doubt that Snape was working for/with Dumbledore. I still don't like him, but I pity him now that we know more of his story. (I'm still not really convinced that Harry would name his son after him, even given how much he owes to him. Shows what a loving heart he has, for sure!) Speaking of Albus Severus, I'm glad someone else is scratching his/her head over Hugo and Rose! Why wasn't Hugo named Fred? I was bummed that both Lupin and Tonks died, leaving yet another orphaned baby boy. But at least we know that this one was loved and treated well by many. I wanted to know about Umbrage's fate, too, and I wondered just who appointed Kingsley temporary Minister of Magic. Who was left to make that kind of decision, and so quickly? And I cheered when Molly ("Not my daughter, you b****!") and Neville went into action. Wasn't it great when Neville told Harry that he couldn't deny them the opportunity to join his fight (before *the* battle began)? I loved Neville's gran, too! Rowling surprised me with Percy, though. I'd given up hoping he'd see the light! As for the epilogue: loved seeing them as parents, but I want to know what their jobs are now. Is Harry an Auror after all? I think Hermione should be Head of Gryffindor (or maybe Ravenclaw), but I guess she's not. Anyhow, as far as I'm concerned, Rowling really pulled it off. This was an almost entirely satisfying ending.

[sparkle j]

My favorite exclamation was one of Hermione's: "Merlin's pants!" I really need to try to work that into my everyday vocabulary.

One of my predictions was that Harry and Voldy would finish each other off. I didn't anticipate Harry being able to live, especially after seeing Snape's memories in the Penseive about Harry's place in the story (though I do understand why Dumbledore presented it that way). The King's Cross bit was a bit, I don't know... something in it irritated me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I loved that he got to talk to Dumbledore again and find out the truth behind Skeeter's book, but there was something... I don't know. Can't think of the word.

I was sucked in from chapter 4 onward. I think I was crying about something in just about every chapter, but I'm a sap anyway. I weeped for Dobby, but I think I was a little numb when Fred died, and Lupin and Tonks. (I, too, wouldn't have been able to bear it had only one of them died.) I cried more when the dead were all lined up in the Great Hall, and families and friends were all consoling each other. That was rough.

I've been wearing my "I trust Dumbledore. I trust Snape." paraphernalia since right after I read book 6. And now all of us Snape trusters know we did right by them. (In a rooting for fictional characters kind of way.)

As for the epilogue... I'm satisfied with it, only because I wasn't expecting it. I figured the main story would end with the defeat of Voldy, and was a little sad that we wouldn't know anything about the kids as adults. We get a taste of it, and are left to imagine the rest. Part of me would love to read more about that world, but another part (the bigger part, I think) likes it just the way it is... sort of a misty glimpse into the future. And, yes, the talk with Albus Severus was beautiful.

[Brian F.]

My "I can't believe I got choked up" moment? When Hermione described modifying her parents memories and sending them to Australia to be safe. That's what really made the direness of the situation set in for me.

[Cindy]

I too am glad to have found these comments. I've been looking at a lot of the blogs and no one seems to be discussing it! Loved it! She was able to incorporate almost everything into this last book without making it seem forced. Loved Potterwatch. Loved meeting Aberforth. More understanding of Snape (of course he was good, but she left us hanging for a long time). Everytime he saw Harry, he must have remembered that Lily chose James. Rowling left a lot of room for more books (although I'm not hopeful she'll write them). Great comments. Thanks Leila for getting it started.

[Jessica]

I wore one of your Snape t-shirts to the parties in Harvard Yard. I got dirty looks and rude comments from the under 16 crowd, but the older teens and adults said they trusted Snape too.

[Nixie Knox]

I just absolutely loved the book - it was everything (and more) that I hoped it would be. I kept telling my devoted HP readers that I couldn't believe Dumbledore could be that wrong about Snape and they all poo-pooed me. Glad to be right about that. I was totally heartbroken for Snape - his unrequited and devoted love to Lily. So sad! Loved the scene when Ron and Hermoine finally smooched. And I cried like a frickin' baby from the time Dobby bought it until the end. There were many, many points where I had to put the book down and take a brief respite because I was so anxious about what was going to happen next. I was so happy that Neville, who could have been the Chosen One, ended up kicking ass - good for him! I can't wait to read it again!

[Amy]

Oh, thank goodness, a place to discuss this.

I was stunned when Hedwig died. I didn't see that coming, and I didn't expect any deaths as early in the book as they happened.

I cried for Dobby too, and I was so touched when Kreacher came on leading the house elves. How great.

I *really* wish we knew what happened to Luna. I also would have liked to have seen a little bit more about the Dursleys right at the end. And I too wish that we could know what everyone was doing for jobs now, and I also wish I knew who was the new Headmaster (or did I miss that in all the action/emotion?).

I found the scene between Harry and Albus Severus one of the most touching in the whole series.

[Leila]

I wanted to know what happened to the Death Eaters -- Draco's parents, etc. And what happened to the Ministry of Magic? Did it get revamped? (Because even before Voldemort took it over it had some serious problems -- like, for one, they employed THAT BITCH D. Umbridge.) And what about all of the problems between species, like the goblins and the centaurs and the giants vs. the wizards? There was so much going on there. Or was that just all background info for the world, not meant to be dealt with?

[Jeremy]

Rowling has said she's likely going to work on an Encyclopedia now, to give home some more of the things she had in her head but couldn't fit into the books, which will also include more information about the state of characters in the 19 years future (including who is Headmaster, DA teacher, etc).

BTW, I'm in the "Dumbledore was right to trust Snape, but really, Snape was evil - he just helped Dumbledore for entirely selfish reasons" camp. Being 99% evil doesn't mean you can't have one or two good moments (see Narcissa) for the one person you cared for. So, IMO, Snape was trustable, and maybe to some even likeable, but he's not a good man.

Otherwise, I'm with a ton of the other comments - Dobby was my hardest death, loved Kreacher's roles, etc. =)

[Cassie]

I have heard a lot of people say they were disappointed with the epilogue. I've also heard that JKR actually wrote that many years ago near the beginning of the series. Given the differences in the writing style, this makes sense. It might also explain why she didn't mention Luna, as she was not a character in the first few books, and perhaps JKR did not have her in mind when the epilogue was being written. All in all, this is about fantasy and imagination, so letting readers come to their own conclusions about what happens next isn't such a bad idea.

[Dawn]

My only disappointment is that the ending seemed too clean and neat. I guess that's because so many loose ends had to be tied.

The epilogue is really about keeping the Harry Potter world off-limits to other writers. This is part of why she thought about killing Harry. By securing the future, and by saying that his scar didn't burn for 19 years and the "all was well" kind of stuff, no one has any way to believably write a Potter book because there really is no drama. She does leave the future of the kids ready to be explored if she wants to go there, though. And maybe that's another reason she did it. To set up something Potter related that doesn't really star Harry if she wants to return to Potter stuff in the future.

Personally, I'm really curious what her next move will be. I'm guessing a female protagonist, but beyond that I haven't a clue. She needs to create a whole different world. No magic, no school, etc. Maybe something set in another time, another planet? Who knows. Can't wait to find out.

[Trisha]

Count me among the epilogue-haters. Whatever the reason for its inclusion, I just felt like I was reading bad fanfic. The rest of the book was great; I just wish it ended with Chapter 36.

I agree with Jeremy re: Snape. I don't care how much good he ultimately ended up doing, I can't forgive the way he treated Neville and Hermione, in particular, throughout the series. Yes, I'm holding a major grudge. I also have a hard time buying into the explanation that he changed sides and spied on behalf of the Order just because of his love for Lily. Or is that just the way I read it?

[Leila]

I read it this way: Yes, his love for Lily was, at the very least, kind of icky. And yes, he, at first, had to be kind of forced into realizing that maybe Harry and James should be protected, too. And yes, he went over to the OotP's side for Lily's sake -- at first.

But I do think that after the deaths of Lily and James, he changed. Not immediately, but slowly -- he was angry and disgusted with Dumbledore when he discovered that Dumbledore's plan for Voldemort's downfall involved Harry's death (he asked something about Harry being a pig fattened for slaughter, right?) and there was that Dumbledore line about Sorting too early, when Snape looked wistful. I think if he really hadn't cared, he'd have double-crossed Dumbledore & Co. Heck, he had no reason to save Lupin at the beginning of the book -- Harry wasn't flying with him -- but he tried anyway. (He missed and hit George, but he was aiming for a Death Eater.)

He was very often awful to our heroes, and I don't really have a good explanation for that, other than that he was in a deep cover situation. Maybe.

I do think he is, hands down, the most interesting character she created.

[(monkey) Steve]

Just finally finished today. Kinda late; everyone has already beaten me to all the good comments. Really hated the last line, disliked the epilogue, (although the bit about Harry's kid being named after Snape got me), and didn't love the exposition that happens in the King's Cross Chapter.
So glad that Hagrid made it through. I might have stopped reading if he had bit it.

[Jackie]

Snape was a sad, regretful, and bitter person. I don't think that he felt the way he acted, at least not entirely. We know that he struggled with Harry because of James, but he was regularly aiding/saving the trio throughout the epic. Futhermore, would Voldy have taken him back if he had showed ANY hint of being nice to non-Slytherine students? Or if any good guys other than Dumbledore showed any trust in him whatsoever? So yeah, Deep Cover.

I'm with the Love Snape(front)/Always(back) shirt. How fantastic.

[(monkey) Steve]

Oh, and Leila, you are so totally right about Snape. Lilly was just his excuse to himself and Dumbledore for caring about other people.

[Trisha]

Oh yeah, I totally forgot about Snape's reaction to Dumbledore's sacrificial Harry plans. And, Leila, your explanation is what I'd been thinking would be more plausible, but didn't get that sense from the text itself. *Must reread that chapter*

As for Snape's actions, many of them were heroic. I won't disagree with that. But where he's concerned, I just can't make the jump from "hero" to "good person and love him." Which does make him one of the more intriguing characters, because while he does good, I can't say that he is good. I think it's one of the things I liked best about this book. That Snape and Dumbledore both did much good, but their actions weren't always admirable, and that good and heroic deeds don't mean the people responsible for the actions are flawless and exempt from criticism.

[becka]

I agree with the "what happened to Luna" comments, but my big question is What about George without Fred? I am heartbroken for him.

[Mike]

I wondered about none of the children of Ron or Harry being named Fred, but figured it was because George must have named a son Fred.

In rowlings interview the other day she mentioned that Luna became the wizarding world's equivalent of a naturalist/explorer and that while she accepted that many of her Father's ideas actually were crazy she also remained open minded and found new things or verified the validity of things thought rare or mythical.

She also said there was a new head of Hogwarts and a permanent DADA teacher (not Harry obviously)
She said Harry and Ron were both Aurors with Harry in charge of the department and that Hermione was high up in the ministry as a lawyer (as sort of a reference to earlier in the book when it was questioned whether she studied magical law and she insisted she didn't want to be a lawyer.) I'm not sure how I felt about that- I think Rowling not including everything makes sense and was better, but it did leave something to be desired in terms of many of the characters.

[Vixie]

I also had issues with the epilogue at first, but after thinking about it,I've come to the conclusion that it fits with the frame of the series. All the novels end with a scene at a train station, although usually it's Harry leaving the wizarding world and heading to the Dursley home. This time, it's Harry saying goodbye to his own children, which is a nice twist. I also love the bit where Ron jokes about disowning his child depending on the results of the sorting. It may be a joke, but it is an indication that despite everything they've been through and what they are trying to change, grudges still exist. The wizarding world, like our own world, is not perfect, nor will it ever be. I love this subtle message. Rowling is a genuis!

[Lillian]

I wanted to see if anyone else was as neurotic as I was about this one leeetle, teeeny, tiny thing in Chapter 33... Leila touched on it in one of her comments above, about how Snape's love for Lily was "kind of icky."

It really bothered me that JKR described the 9- or 10-year-old Snape watching Lily with "undisguised greed" and "greedily." I know that it is a bit extreme to harp on a few words in a bajillion words, but these words -- above all else, even the controversial love-it-or-hate-it epilogue -- really bug me, not to the point of ruining the entire book (the book is just too good), but enough to drive me kinda crazy.

I feel that "greedily" (and to a lesser degree, the phrase "undisguised greed") undermines or taints the love that Snape felt for Lily. I suppose this bothers me so much because I wanted it to be a more pure thing, this life-long love of Snape's, but those words imply a sort of lustful infatuation, far removed from love. It makes Snape seem like an obsessive stalker, when I want to believe, since all other evidence seems to point towards this, that he was an unloved, abused, isolated and friendless young boy, desperately longing for affection and acceptance. Unfortch, as he grew older, this desperate longing led him to the Death Eaters and distanced him from Lily. As a side note, I think that Snape wanted to be Slytherin House because that was probably all he knew from his mother (sort of in the same way that Harry wanted to be in Gryffindor because Ron told him that was the best house). I doubt he had much contact with other wizarding families as a child, hence his eagerness to connect with Lily.

Anyway, back to Snape's love for her... this undying love is what motivates and sustains Snape for 16 years of his double life, a life where he can have no true friends (except Dumbledore), where he couldn't show that he cared about anyone or felt any regret or sadness, where everyone thinks he's evil, even the people that he's trying to help, where he's in constant danger, etc. I feel like this love should be pure and untouchable, the thing that makes him good (does that make sense?). I just can't (don't want to) believe that his childhood love could've started out like that, so sinister and "icky." Ugh. Am I crazy? Am I reading too much into "greed" and "greedily"? Or did I miss something?

BTW, I also believe that Snape was in deep, deep cover, and, of course he had to be awful to Hermione and Neville and everyone else that was connected to Harry because it had to look like he took sides very seriously. He was just so mean from the very get-go that there had to be some good reason for it in the end.

[tulip]

In response to Lillian's comment:
I interpreted the "greed" to mean a lustfulness for good. Does that make sense? Like someone who was so abused and unloved that they want for something good and pure with a greediness from their soul. I am firmly in the love Snape camp and always have been so that may have coloured how I read it, but that's what it seemed like to me. I mean spying on someone and having little to no social skills is squicky, no doubt, but I thought the love behind it was pretty pure. Hence the doe patronus.
Anyway, that's my two cents! :)