Book #32: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

This, as the finale to the series, is amazing. I remember being blown away when I read it by how beautifully Rowling wraps up all of the questions that have been raised in the plot of all of the other books. There were SO MANY QUESTIONS, so many things that needed to be answered and explained, and overall, I think she did a fantastic job. Everything, from Harry being born in Godric's Hollow and that being Godric Gryffindor's birthplace (love that!), to everything about Snape (ahhhh!).

I love all of the action scenes in this book--the wedding, them breaking into the Ministry and Gringotts, the war at the end. (I didn't love Harry and Hermione's trip to Godric's Hollow, though.) The non-action scenes tended to drag a lot though. I don't know if she needed to dwell so much on them being at Shell Cottage, or the camping and searching (and fighting) that went on for a while while looking for Horcruxes. I love, love, love the backstory you learn about Dumbledore (it makes him seem so much more human) and especially Snape in this book. In one chapter, Snape becomes the deepest character in the series--so torn between his hatred and his love, yet choosing, overall, to act on his love, and forced for years or decades to act like what he was not. Snape, who we hated for so long, actually turns out to be the most hardcore character in the series. I loved that. I love how Harry, Ron, and Hermione figure out about and find the Horcruxes, and I love that Harry finally masters the problem of seeing Voldemort's mind and thoughts, in his own way.

There are many plot points that I don't agree with or like that much though. The Hallows themselves are ridiculous. I hate that she introduces them as if they are this SUPREMELY IMPORTANT THING that matter so much to the wizarding world--but she waits until halfway through the LAST book to mention them! Seriously, Harry and Hermione don't figure out about them until like page 350 of the book. What the heck? Why couldn't you have just left that out and had them find all the Horcruxes and finish right there? I don't know; I just don't think they really were that important or necessary to the overall storyline. Also, I feel like Harry returning back to life really stretches my suspension of disbelief--it is NOT explained fully, to my satisfaction, although of course I am glad that it happened (of course, it had to happen). I hate that Hedwig died (come on! Why Hedwig?) and Dobby (seriously, probably the most affecting death of the whole book). And okay, seriously, Voldemort gets killed by his OWN REBOUNDING SPELL? Harry didn't even try to kill him when he dueled with him? I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT! Why would you not try to kill Voldemort? I am so confused by that thought process now and have no idea why J.K. would choose to have it end that way. However, I must say, this ending is a bajillion times better than the one in the movie. I love that they have this ending conversation in front of everyone in the Great Hall, instead of out by themselves somewhere.

I've read lots of complaints about the epilogue, and I can totally see where they are coming from. It totally wraps everything up so neatly, almost too neatly, and you wonder why nobody seems emotionally scarred or had any problems here after everything. Even Draco is there at the end! But honestly, the only problem I have with the epilogue is that it was too short and I wanted more details about what they were up to (and what they HAD been up to for the past nineteen years--how did they get to that point?). It would have been almost more satisfying for her to write a "This is what each of these characters is up to now" thing for EVERYONE we knew and loved from the series so that you could swallow it all up and be happy about it. But oh well, obviously she couldn't include everything.