Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling (2007) The reason I bought a copy of the final installment of her seven-part series was because J. K. Rowling compelled me to. She offered so much and she challenged us as readers to commit ourselves to the story, that this was one (hardcover) volume I wanted for my library. I've read all of them, but only owned the first and in paperback. I leant it out to a curious reader and she must still be curious because she hasn't given it back. But my curiosity was peaked as well. I thought book six, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" would be the beginning of the end, so to speak. I thought she'd begin to tie up story lines that had been running for six previous volumes. Instead, she opened new story lines, making her job all the harder for the concluding volume. She raised the bar so high, she made it nearly impossible to clear it. The revelation she had in that British Rail coach one day seventeen years ago was unbelieveably complete. Like many others, I had read where the last word was "scar" and she had written the final chapter first and secured it in a bank vault somewhere in the United Kindgom. I wanted to see if her written conclusions were the same as her thought-through conclusions ~ and it seems they were. After book seven was released, I saw an interview she did where she was asked if the final book was as she thought it would be. It was, she replied, nearly 3/4 of it (especially the ending) was. (She also said her sister told her if she (J.K.) killed off Hagrid, she'd never talk to her again.) Many have complained that the Epilogue was unnecessary and was a bit damaging to the story. I don't stand in that camp. I think so many want to know what happened to Harry, Ron and Hermione, Rowling felt it necessary to tack on a segment to expolain the future. Because she knew there would be no Book Eight, "Harry Potter and the Geriatric Demon," she had to end it where and how she did. And so will I. Many have criticized the Harry Potter series as being less of a work than J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Ring/Middle Earth series. Well, as one who could not read about hobbits and Orcs and the perils of the Baggins family, I eagerly picked up very volume of Rowling's. In time, I think her series and her status as a writer will be equal to ~ if not greater than ~ Tolkien or Philip Pullman and his "His Dark Materials" series. She is not just a great writer of children's and young adult literature. No, she is a greater writer. Period. Thank you, Ms. Rowling, for challenging and entertaining and engaging me for the past 8+ years. It was worth all 4125 hardcover pages. Well done.Read full review
I don't think I ever waited on Christmas like I did for this book and Rowling did not disappoint me. Deathly Hollows picks up right where The Half Blood Prince left off and Rowling doesn't miss a beat. Our three favorite heroes know what they have to do but only have a few obscure clues to work from. They must find their own solutions on how to accomplish their misson. While this is a theme common in the other 6 books, this time there is no safety net provided by the adults. The fate of the world rests on their shoulders alone. As they go from one adventure to the next, gaining (at first) seemingly useless information and narrowly avoiding death, they slowly piece together how everything must fit together. Even then Rowling is not yet done: the solution itself is a test, and the hardest challenge Harry ever had to take. The book is dark and bloody, more so than The Order of the Pheonix. In case the reader had any doubt about that, Voldermort sets it straight in the very first chapter. The body count continues to go up and Rowling gives no indication of playing favorites. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is safe until the last spell is cast, somewhere in the last 10 pages or so. While it was sad seeing so many characters I had grown attached to die, I did not have the same sense of dispair that I did with Pheonix. I never doubted for one page that good would win in the end and I could take comfort in that their sacrafices would not be in vain. While I sincerly hope that Ms. Rowling will continue to write, I believe it is time for a new series. Harry Potter was as close to perfection as I'm likely to see in this world. I don't want that delicate balance upset. John Holland-Author of The Necklace of TerrersylvanousRead full review
I'll start with my dislikes because there are only two. For those of you that haven't read the first six books in quite some time (like me), there will be no little refresher after each strangely named magical thing. In this book, you are supposed to remember what a Squib is, what each curse does to its victim, and which bad guy is married to which evil sister of someone else, etc. My second complaint... no more Harry Potter? What was there to like about this book? More than any other author of a series (and I've read tons), J.K. Rowling ties up every loose end from each and every book. You meet everyone you've been wanting to. You learn about everything you've ever wondered. You check up on all of the previous minor characters. Hoping not to give too much away, she even does an epilogue where you learn what happens to the remaining characters in the future. It was so fast-paced, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. At first, I was very disappointed that Rowling had Harry, Hermione, and Ron leaving school. After all, what is that teaching this generation of children? But after reading it, I'm no longer upset. Like I wrote earlier, she ties up every loose end. It was definitely worth the money and is going to make an incredible movie.Read full review
I've read all seven of the Harry Potter books, as much because I love to read as because I work with kids. Deathly Hallows is a fast paced, almost painfully detailed book. The kids grow up, they have no choice left to them but to assume roles in the downfall of Voldemort. Rowling handles her characters with a deft finesse, bringing them from awkward kids searching for the right way to do things to confident, self-assured adults by the end of the novel. After reading the ending, I thought 'but of course, that's the way it ends.' Absolutely one of the best books of any age group that I've read in the last year. Parents and teachers should be ready, like every book from book 4, to discuss death and especially why good people die and why bad people kill, with younger readers. Evil stands out in this one, and it will be scary for some younger readers.Read full review
I think this "last" book of the series is an excellent book. I say "last" because the author did leave an opening should she want to try and add a number 8. I would love to know what happened during the 19 years between the last chapter adn the ending! I read the book in approximately 16 or 17 hours, it is an easy read as well! I loved it!
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