Well, it took me all day but I managed it. I had to get some sleep before writing this but here I am letting you know what I think.
Story
The story was unusual - it was very different to the first 6 in that Hogwarts, and a lot of the characters, were only mentioned briefly. In fact it was all a bit of a mystery as Harry, Ron and Hermione all rush around trying to solve the mystery of the Horcruxes and the titular Deathly Hallows.
It all starts off at a terrifying pace, there's an evil meeting, and then Harry leaves the Dursleys for the final time. There are a number of deaths in the first few chapters, at least a couple of which will surprise (they surprised me at least). After the third chapter things slow down for a while as we are reintroduced to some of the characters and given some extra details that will be required later.
Speeding through the book, the trio visit places that we had only heard of before and meet a number of people that have only been mentioned in passing.
Throughout the book, and with the help of Rita Skeeter, we find out a large amount of back story for Dumbledore, and it's not necessarily the sort of back story you would imagine. However, as with the rest of the book, it fills in the details nicely - and leaves a more complete ending for Dumbledore than I had expected.
It all ends with the finale we have been waiting for, good versus evil, Harry against Voldemort, but who wins... I'm not going to give anything away.
The book ends with an epilogue which wraps things up nicely... and clearly shows that there will be no future Harry Potter books - sorry to all the people hoping for a book 8. JK has said all along that this would be the end, and it is. I doubt very much that she will change her mind.
Theories
I'm pleased to say that a lot of the theories that have been expressed on Binary Moon have come true. Hoorah!
It will be no surprise to the majority of you, that the theory that made my site popular (RAB = Regulus Black) is correct, but there were a number of others that also turned out to be true. I'm not going to say which ones they were as that may spoil things, but I am quite pleased with myself and impressed with the thoughts of the people who comment here 
You should all give yourselves a pat on the back.
Conclusions
The book was really very good and finished the series nicely. There were a few things I wasn't sure about though - Pettigrew didn't get the end I expected, and a couple of people died who didn't deserve to, but overall it was fantastic - a wonderful end to a wonderful series.
Where next?
It all feels a little funny now the books are over. I feel strangely like a part of me has been removed. Over the last 4 or 5 years Harry Potter has become quite a large part of me, with the books, my website, and the community that has grown around a shared passion. I've loved seeing the comments on my theories growing and growing, and I hope that the you will all stick around here - maybe we can find another series we are all so passionate about?
Comments
I know that it's tempting but I'll ask that you keep spoilers out of the comments. I want to keep the site spoiler free for at least a week or so, so that people can catch up with us speedy readers. That said I'd love to know what you think so please do speak up.
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203 Responses to “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Review” Leave a reply ›
Janella - I didn't review Order of the Phoenix. The first book I reviewed was the Half Blood Prince. I don't think I had started my blog when Order of the Phoenix came out - sorry.
Thank you Ben for answering me- Oh well, it was worth a shot!. Also I saw on a different review something about the hallows being based on other books or fairy tales and JKR answered that if any it was based on 'the Pardoner's Tale', by Chaucer.
Sue #100, JKR answered part of your question in her webchat. Dumbledore could see through the cloak because he did the incantation without words 'homenum revelio", she said Hermione used this human presence revealing spell in Deathly Hallows. She didn't say about Mad Eye, but he does have a magical eye (the eye's powers could have seen since it saw through a desk before). I have not seen her anser about the Elder wand thoug.
Janelle, thanks for answering my question. I think that the point of the story was that the Hallows were fallible and that Harry learned that just as Dumbledore did. To answer my own question about the elder wand and Dumbledore winning it in a duel when it is unbeatable, it's possible that he used 'expelliamus' just like Harry.
Sue, I agree with you about the Elder wand- I have been pondering it some more. I think that also that while the Elder wand is the most powerfull wand, the wizard with the wand is not necessarily the most powerfull wizard. The wand could still be won by a wizard who owns it is outsmarted (like Dumbledore was by Draco due to Dumbledore concentrating on the spell to bind Harry and momentarily not on Draco) or when the oposing wizard used stronger or better magic(as Dumbledore must have with Grindelwald). I think that if both wizards used the same exact spell at the same exact time, that is when the Elder wand would prevail and in most duels it would prevail, but not at all times.
Janella, what you have written makes sense, the elder wand would prevail if the same spell was used at the same time. I still have one more question though, after Voldemort kills Snape and claims the elder wand, he then sends for Harry and hits him with the AK curse. The curse appears to hit BOTH of them as Harry notes on his return that Voldemort appeared to have gone down just like himself. But why did the elder wand hit its master (Harry) when JKR writes on the later attempt, that the elder wand won't kill its master? Dumbledore says Harry is alive because of the blood connection NOT because the wand wouldn't kill him!
Sue, do you think voldemort's AK curse contacted the part of his soul in Harry and thats why he too fell to the floor? and to your later question, voldemort's attempt at the AK curse did not kill harry - just made him fall - and the reason for this is what u said, that the elder won't kill its master. But then in the 2nd attempt (in the great hall) harry managed to defeat Voldemort's elder wand because of what you and janelle were saying - they are 'equal' in their magic'. what do you think? or haven't i answered your question?! xx
i read that jkr has said that harry is the head of the auror dept., ron joined george in weasley's wizard wheezes, hermione ended up in magical law enforcment and ginny played quidditch for the holyhead harpies but quit when she became pregnant. jkr killed fred because he was the more outgoing of the twins and she wanted to give george the chance to live on his own, nt in the shadw of his brother.
Sue, I think that the Elder wand succeeded in striking Harry with the AK curse because Harry was not defending himself. Harry did not have his wand out and it was not a duel in which the Elder wand would "win". By striking Harry with the AK curse the wand was doing as Harry wished. Just as Snape was doing what Dumbledore wished by stiking Dumbledore with the AK curse. I think this curse causing Voldemort to fall had more to do with Harry's blood being in Voldemort and Lily's protection with it then the AK curse striking them both. Harry's blood activated Lily's protection and this is what made Voldemort fall (he wouldn't have been able to stand the love that came with it).
Sue at 100.
Rowling has stated that Dumbledore uses humonus revelio, or something like that, the same thing Hermione used in Grimmauld Place. Reveals the presence of humans. Thanks for answering my question.
@107
Rowling said in mugglenet that Ron worked as an Auror and helped George achieve suucces. Funny how her answeres change in every other interview. On Msn she said Neville and Luna could pair up, but Luna ended up marrying Scamander's grandson. Ron gets his picture on Chocolate frog cards as well.
Grindlewald stunned Gregorovitch.
Thanks Janella #108, well thought out!. My 16 y/o daughter also added that the first time the elder wand would not have recognized Harry as its owner because he was not holding Draco's wand in his hand. The second time he used it with 'expelliarmus' and the elder wand would recognize it as the wand that disarmed it against Dumbledore and therefore its owner (Harry) is its new master. Hope that makes sense.
Sue, your welcome. You had interesting questions and I enjoyed thinking them over. I understand your daughter's viewpoint- I think it's along the same lines as my thoughts about Harry not defending himself with a wand. So, yes it makes sense!
im sorry but im really comfused about the whole creater thats in the corner of the kings cross i dont get what it is there for any one how could help me out to understand this would be great...?
Hey- I just saw my unintentional pun. Voldemort couldn't "stand" Lily's love in Harry's blood- so he fell. Hee Hee!
#114 Matt, The creater that is in the corner of the kings cross is what Lord Voldemort has reduced his soul to after breaking it so many times to make horcruxes. That is why when Harry was dueling LV at the end, Harry was trying to get LV to show some remorse so that LV would not be reduced to such a thing in the aftermath.
I loved the book! truely amazing although i wish they would have told me... what happens to luna in the future? who becomes headmaster? and does george carry on the weasly joke shop?
#117 Bazza, JKR has answered 2 of your question in an interview:
1. Alicepie : What happend to luna, did she get married who to?
J.K. Rowling: Luna became a very famous wizarding naturalist who discovered and classified many new species of animals (though, alas, she never did find a Crumple-Horned Snorkack and had, finally, to accept that her father might have made that one up).
J.K. Rowling: She ended up marrying (rather later than Harry & co) a fellow naturalist and grandson of the great Newt Scamander (Rolf)!
Camille: How is george getting along without his twin
J.K. Rowling: Well, I don't think that George would ever get over losing Fred, which makes me feel so sad. However, he names his first child and son Fred, and he goes on to have a very successful career, helped by good old Ron.
I can't find who became headmaster but I would guess that Minerva took over from Snape.
JKR said in her webchat interview (see link in #89) that she did not know who the new headmaster would be, but it would have to be someone new because Minerva was "getting on a bit".
Oh- sorry. JKR did say that about the headmaster but it was not on the webchat it was on a primetime special(Dateline- I think).
Janella, I agree that Minerva was too old to be Headmistress when Harry's kids went to Hogwarts. I thought she probably took over after Snape died for a few years and then it would have been someone else.
i loved the whole story of harry potter i mean all the chapters especially theorder of the pheonix ,
this book was honestly amazing, but also left me hanging. i actually am not sure what i'm going to do when (and if) the movie comes out. i feel like there's a big hole in me that won't get filled again. i am almost afraid to read anything else she may write, because i hold this series to such high standards. i'm sure that anything else written will be looked down upon just because it isn't harry potter. idk.
all in all, it was a good way to end everything. the deaths were surprising and upsetting, and i'm glad the couples that happened did. i will more than liekly return to this series many more times.
i think the order of the phoenix actually were quite hopeless and weak in this book. They didn't show any of their brilliant work that most expect
The order of phoenix weren't brilliant, Dumbledore was. Just like the death eaters, who don't have enough brains to distinguish between a stag and a goat. Voldemort was the reason Death Eaters weren't getting captured.
Does anyone know what happens to Bary Crouch after he is kissed? I know he still lives but without a conscience. Where does he go?
he probably got taken 2 st.mungos
yes probably!
i agree with Candice - I liked how the couples turned out too! Does anyone know who brought up Teddy Tonks? Was it Harry & co?
Harry unless i'm mistaken, as he was Teddy's Godfather. James Potter Jnr. also says 'our Teddy' in the final chapter which further convinces me it must have been Harry along with Ginny who brought up Teddy.
I finished the book in less than a day, i really did love it to bits, i found it sad how many people died, espicially tonks and remus
because that seemed almost pointless. I cried my eyes out, but loved it all the same, she is such a fantastic author, im so sad it's all over now though, i wish it would go on forever!!
#129 Sean, good point but when Tonks left baby Ted he was with his Grandmother Andromeda. She was still only in her 40's (sister to Narcissa and Bellatrix). Even 19 years later she would only be in her 60's so she may have raised him with plenty of visits to Harry and Ginny's so that he would be around other kids.
Harry says somethin lyk ted comes over every weekend or somethin. Then one of his sons says that he could share a room. Then harry says that if he wants them to share he would have the house demolished
This book was fantastic, but i agree with most people the deaths were pointless and upsetting. I felt like they all were friends of mine and although my neighbour keeps telling me its only a book it doesnt help. All of us who have read it have stuck by harry untill the end and we've probley all gone through his emotions. I thought the ending was brilliant but i would have liked to no what happened after the battle. I actually felt for the malfoys, a little and i know they were evil but in the end they only wanted to protect their son. i also loathed kreacher at the start but was just doing his job to protect regulus black which was really sweet. A fantastic end to the series, i feel like part of me is gone =[ but im gonna read them all again starting tonight just to comfort me
thank you very much for the answers.
i was very sad that fred was killed off . I just think it was pointless breaking up the twins. I loved them.
I was also sad to read dobby also died. Harry showed much affection towards dobbys death.
Longbottom really suprised me in this book. he came out top as a hero.
Voldemort shouldn't have died.
Albus Severus might turn out to be a Dark Wizard, as he is jealous of James.
i dont get how it takes people a long time to finish it, im 14 and i read it in 5 hours
i agree voldemort shouldn't have died he should've just been kept in Azkaban or Nurmengard
This was the first Harry Potter book that I have ever read, I've seen all the films and wanted to know what all the hype was about surrounding the books. Wow! it was a definate page turner, I will be reading the rest of the series now. The book gave me such an in depth understanding of the characters that the screen never could deliver.
#135 & 138, Yes Voldemort did need to die. The books are based on the prophecy that state that 'either must die at the hand of the other!' Either Harry, Voldemort or both HAD to die or it would have been a massive let down! I think JK handled the ending perfectly! Also if LV was locked up in Azkaban he would most likely escape!
#140 i think voldemort can't escape without a wand
#141 Sirius Black did!
#Sirius is an animagus remember? voldemort isn't though
Voldemort is not an animagus, but he can leave his body and possess other people or snakes. So it would be easy for him to escape.
who was victoire?
Manali - Check out my unanswered questions answered - all is revealed there.
Voldemort's evil could never have been killed as he loved life so much. Also, if Voldemort had shown remorse he would most likely have died. Hermione says that remorse is really painful and the wizard may die attempting it. This is bearing in mind that no one before LV had made more than one horcrux.
#145 Victoire is the daughter of Bill and Fleur.
#143 I don't think the books actually state that LV is not an animagus, we just never see him do it. Also as #144 Janella points out, LV very easily possessed Nagini and other people (Quirrel/Harry). Also in book 5 Dumbledore tells Fudge that he (Dumbledore) could easily escape from Azkaban. My point is that it is not impossible for a powerful wizard.
#148 I agree with your points but don't you need a wand to possess poeple i'm not sure though
Chris, it never says in the books that you need a wand to possess people. In fact it makes it seem that you do not need a wand to possess. Lord Voldemort did not have his wand until his most faithfull servant (Wormtail) got it for him. So, LV did not have a wand (or even a body) when he possessed Quirrel.