HP:DH, the gods speak

[grissecon]

I got the book on Saturday around noon and finished it around midnight.



I liked it. That's really about it. I thought the first 2/3rds or so dragged like a one-legged model. The fact that the characters were complaining that they were going around in circles and nothing was happening should have been a clue to the author there. The last third or so, however, had all kinds of kickass, moved really fast, and, aside from the much-reviled epilogue, was pretty good.

I loved (in no particular order):

- Luna's painted ceiling (my heart went squish!)

- Neville's insane kickassery (I might have yelled a little when he took out Nagini. Ok, maybe more than a little.)

- The deaths (all of them, really. I was hoping for the Hamlet ending, so... I'll take what I can get.)

- Dumbledore's less than perfect life story

- The Malfoys caring about each other

- Pretty much the entire battle of Hogwarts

- Voldy's final demise, at the hands of his own curse, much like the way the whole thing began. Nice bit of symmetry, I thought.

- Harry's bit about how Snape, Riddle, and him were all lost boys who had found their first home in Hogwarts. I thought that was lovely, and I loved that the point wasn't belabored.

- Albus Severus! That poor kid will get his ass kicked all over the playground, but still.


I didn't really care for:

- Yet another round of all Slytherins are eeevil. Dude, we get a Dumbledore with a shady past and a Snape with a secret love for Lily, and we can't even get one Slytherin staying behind for the battle? Not only repetitive, but also somewhat nonsensical given the rest of the characterizations, Harry's words in the epilogue, and Dumbledore's words to Snape. Way to undercut a decent theme.

- Ron. Ron. Oh god, Ron! I don't know when I started hating his guts (although I suspect it was somewhere in GoF) but, seriously, Hermione? You can do so much better.

- The coupliness and breediness of the epilogue. I get that Harry's always wanted a family, and that's probably what his happy ending looks like, but with all the other gaps (like, who the hell raised Ted, huh? Inquiring minds want to know.) couldn't she have let Hermione, or Ron, or Draco, for god's sake, not be married with children?


All in all, I thought it was a good ending to the series. Not many surprises, since Snape killing Dumbledore on his orders and Harry being a Horcrux were both pretty obvious plot points, but the story had a lot of nice little touches that made it a good read.


And, now, I go read fanfic, which is the only reason I started reading these books in the first place. Heh.


Also, that Egyptian zodiac thing:

Thoth Enthusiastic, enterprising, courageous, likes to take risks. Colors: male: rose, female: white Compatible Signs: Bastet, Isis Dates: Apr 1 -Apr 19, Nov 8 - Nov 17 Role: God of wisdom, scribes, and writing Appearance: An ibis-headed man, or a baboon. Often seen with the moon on his head in either of these forms. Sacred animals: ibis, baboon What is Your Egyptian Zodiac Sign? Designed by CyberWarlock of Warlock's Quizzles and Quandaries

Comments

[vhscrowers.livejournal.com]

slowly making my way through the book myself. people of been thwarting my plans to try to read the book.

i got mine on friday night with all the other weirdos. they had a festivities and stuff.

[grissecon.livejournal.com]

I thought about doing the midnight thing, but I ended up going of one of those Boston Harbor drinking/dancing cruises instead.

I had a blast; I'm actually surprised my hangover didn't stop me from heading into town to get the book. *g*