My Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

[leene_chan]

I finished HP7 late last night. I didn't think it was terrible, but I'm glad to finally escape the bleak world of Harry Potter.

If I didn't know better, I'd have thought I was reading Lloyd Alexander's Westmark series. Why so many deaths? Professor Lupin has been my favorite character since PoA, and while I was very sad to see him die I thought he had some great scenes in this book. He slammed Harry into a wall-wooo! He proved himself to be a loyal friend, he had his small happiness with his son and then he and Tonks died together. I suppose the scene with the Resurrection Stone was supposed to comfort us--why would you mourn the loss of a character if you have proof of life after death? I can't say that I honestly think that Lupin's death was gratuitous, but Fred Weasley? Colin Creevey? Tonks' father?

I would've bought it if the Death Eaters were more than just ugly, lumbering people with ugly, lumbering names doing ugly, lumbering things. Is JKR completely incapable of making a gray character? The "bad guys" are so distasteful and blatantly evil that it's hard to believe that they're capable of more than charging at Harry, missing him and banging heads with each other instead. So, did JKR kill off so many characters to convince the reader that these Death Eaters are really dangerous people?

But Dobby died. ::laughs hysterically:: I can't say I'm upset about that. And a dagger through the chest, how wonderfully gory! I have to wonder though: if JKR hadn't created so damn many characters would she have even felt the need to slaughter hordes of them in the final book?

Are we supposed to be happy that Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and all the good nice people survived? I found the Harry/Ginny relationship to be nothing but a mess in this book. Maybe if Ginny was anything like the scared little girl in CoS, she'd be more than just a target for Harry's horny teenaged lips. Does Ginny even have a personality? I sensed no feeling whatsoever between her and Harry--he didn't even think of her unless he was prompted, and even then it was just, "Gee, I wonder what Ginny's doing?"

In the end, the only teenaged character I liked was Luna. Luna is an easy character to like; she's wacky and by the end of the series she's the only young female character not transformed into a sex object. (Hermione, too!)

I don't think the book was all bad. I liked seeing Fleur turning into a motherly character, liked the fact that Kreacher finally warmed up to the Trio. The Malfoys were almost redeemed---but not quite? Why not? Why is it so important that all the Slytherins remain bad at the core? If Slytherin is just an evil house, why does it even exist in Hogwarts?

And Snape...well...I guess he was redeemed but if he was acting purely out of love for Lily why would that make him any less selfish of a person?

Maybe my problem at the end is that I simply don't like Harry. He was seriously channeling Frodo Baggins during DH and I prefer my main characters to have a little self-respect. He only manages to succeed through the magical items that other people throw at him!

Maybe if it weren't for the 100-plus pages of Harry, Ron and Hermione wandering through the woods eating mushrooms and bickering, I wouldn't be so harsh...

Comments

[caffeinecowgirl.livejournal.com]

...and by the end of the series she's the only young female character not transformed into a sex object.
I could bet she married Neville. :')

And I really thought there would have been no more Houses at Hogwarts, after the Battle. Guess I was wrong (or Rowling had no better idea than a young mini-Harry wondering about his sorting, like his father did, to end the book. Eh.)
Wonder who the new Headmaster is, too. :'D

And Severus! ;__; He was the only one I'd have turn a blind eye on, in case of a MartyStuish death. No luck, since Harry stole the spot. XD

[leene-chan.livejournal.com]

Wasn't Luna holding hands with Dean Thomas at some point near the end? XD

I'd think McGonagall would be the Headmaster, if she were still alive. Everyone else seems to have died. =_=

[caffeinecowgirl.livejournal.com]

But she had Neville's portrait painted on the walls of her room. :'D

Oi, McGonagall could have been the next Headmaster, yes! I just forgot she was still alive, lol. XD (I still miss my poor Prince Severus. *sighs* I wonder if his portrait is hung in the Headmaster's office now, near Dumbledore's... XDD)