Harry Potter Book 7 - SPOILERS!!!!

[Jenn! 918]

I'm wondering why there hasn't been more discussion about the last Harry Potter book here. I'm sure there are plenty of us who have read it. I thought maybe it was because people were afraid to post about it and risk spoiling plot points for others.

So.....I think I've made it sufficiently clear in the topic title that this is for those who are finished.

So what did you think?

I really wanted to say that I was happy with how it ended, but I'm not. Beyond what I thought was a crappy epilogue (although I understand the need for it), I just did not like the ending. I found Harry's "coming back to life" to be a copout. I think that JKR just didn't have the heart to go through with it.

[SteveLaura 0]

I'm wondering why there hasn't been more discussion about the last Harry Potter book here. I'm sure there are plenty of us who have read it. I thought maybe it was because people were afraid to post about it and risk spoiling plot points for others.

So.....I think I've made it sufficiently clear in the topic title that this is for those who are finished.

So what did you think?

I really wanted to say that I was happy with how it ended, but I'm not. Beyond what I thought was a crappy epilogue (although I understand the need for it), I just did not like the ending. I found Harry's "coming back to life" to be a copout. I think that JKR just didn't have the heart to go through with it.

I have to qualify this statement by saying that I have never read any of the books and only saw the first movie. But, anyway, I didn't think that Rowling would kill off her cash cow. Leave it open to write the 8th book in a decade of so.

[wherezdabearz 0]

I actually loved the way it wrapped up. I wanted a happy ending and I felt it came full circle after all the darkness by returning to the atmosphere of the first book. I sighed in satisfaction when I closed the book!

[UmmSqueakster 54]

I loved it, loved it, loved it. I was glad that it was different from the rest of the books, although I'm also glad they ended it at Hogwarts. Also glad to hear that JKR is going to put together an encyclopedia that will include plot lines and character backgrounds that were cut from the books. I'd love to have some characters explored further.

Now, for some reason my fandom always expresses itself in icons. So, I've been hunting iconage for the last few days and have amased quite a collection. Since I don't have enough room for them all in my signature, I'll just post em here. They're so pretty!

More iconage to come!

[Jenn! 918]

I've heard some controversy over whether Bellatrix Lestrange died. When I read it, I thought it was clear that she had. Thoughts?

And what was up with Tonks and Lupin's death??? Why didn't she describe the battle that killed them? It was almost like it was an afterthought.

Oh, an I heard that Arthur Weasley was the character who got the reprieve. Evidently he was supposed to kick the bucket in book 5.

Edited July 26, 2007 by jenn3539

[Jenn! 918]

Oh, P.S. I heart Snape.

[chasnik 0]

Well.. I loved the ending, I didnt really think she would let Harry die....and the whole epilogue seems like a segue into a series about the kids of....

[anya-D 8]

ohhhh I love this book more than anyother book!! I like the way Harry realized his weakness and why Dumbledore has to keep things from him and stuff.. I like Harry but not so much in the past 2 books - I kinda like Ron and Luna better I love how it ends but wish Luna has more to do than just 2-3 chapters in there..

Anyway.. i have a question.... seems like Prof. Slunghorn is on Potter side? but why he dual with Charley Weasley? or did i missunderstanding some words?

[Arazia 0]

I wasn't thrilled with this book, to be honest. It -dragged- for hundreds and hundreds of pages with not a lot going on. I got a little tired of the 'lather-rinse-repeat' of them getting up, arguing, moving camp, sleeping, getting up, arguing... etc etc etc. It got more interesting near the end of the book, especially after their arrival at Hogwarts, but you spend half the book with them not knowing what to do and just wandering around like lost ducklings.

I think the end-scenes came as too rushed, and it would have been nice to see more of the actual battle instead of leaving it unsaid. I admit to not seeing the whole ressurection of Harry thing coming, but I figured she had some 'master plan' for not offing him. The epilogue, however, just really didn't do much for me. It left so many thing unanswered, and made me just think that everyone has horrible taste in children's names.

It didn't really bring a true end to the series. At least that's my opinion, but I was never a die-hard fan of the books either.

[Jenn! 918]

I belong to another message board for actuaries (ie. geeks ) and the Harry Potter thread is 7 pages long.

Guess there aren't enough geeks around here!

[melly 0]

I loved the book, like I loved the previous volumes, with the exception of the last chapter.

The whole chapter seemed too "neat" and not well thought out and no real details. Why put it in at all? Why not let the readers think what they wanted?

Now if she wanted to take it further and develop a series based on the kids, etc., that might be nice.

I was surprised about Dudley's reaction to Harry when the family was being taken from the house to safety.

And I was under the impression that Bellatrix had died as well.

I'm trying to imagine how the movie will be for this one, with all the battle scenes. Can't wait.

[Jenn! 918]

And I was under the impression that Bellatrix had died as well.

I was kind of hoping that Neville would get to kill her, since I felt that building up throughout the series, but who didn't have it out for her? Go Molly Weasley!!!

I need to read the whole thing again at some point to clear up a few muddy parts for me. Like the whole thing with Dumbledore at the end. Where were they? What the heck was going on there? And how come he was able to see his parents when he hadn't been able to see them before? After my first reading, these things stuck out to me as flaws, i.e. JKR was grasping to make things fit together in the end. But maybe I just didn't really "get it".

[MargotDarko 0]

ohhhh I love this book more than anyother book!! I like the way Harry realized his weakness and why Dumbledore has to keep things from him and stuff.. I like Harry but not so much in the past 2 books - I kinda like Ron and Luna better I love how it ends but wish Luna has more to do than just 2-3 chapters in there..

Anyway.. i have a question.... seems like Prof. Slunghorn is on Potter side? but why he dual with Charley Weasley? or did i missunderstanding some words?

Yep, you misunderstood a word. To "overtake" someone means to pass them by. Slughorn just passed Charlie by on the stairs. No fighting.

[MargotDarko 0]

And I was under the impression that Bellatrix had died as well.

I was kind of hoping that Neville would get to kill her, since I felt that building up throughout the series, but who didn't have it out for her? Go Molly Weasley!!!

I need to read the whole thing again at some point to clear up a few muddy parts for me. Like the whole thing with Dumbledore at the end. Where were they? What the heck was going on there? And how come he was able to see his parents when he hadn't been able to see them before? After my first reading, these things stuck out to me as flaws, i.e. JKR was grasping to make things fit together in the end. But maybe I just didn't really "get it".

He was able to see his parents because the stone in the snitch brought them back to life for a while. The conversation with Dumbledore was in a way in Harry's head - it was purely spirtual/afterlife type of place. Dumbledore says that just because it's in his head doesn't mean it's not real. Then Harry came back to life because of his blood (with Lily's protection) in Voldemort's ressurected body meant that as long as Voldemort lived Harry lived.

EDIT - Oh and also his willingness to die and his "death" meant that the part of Voldemort's soul that was in him was then dead and removed so he was whole again. The creepy baby thing was the part of Voldemort's soul that had come out of Harry.

Edited July 27, 2007 by MargotDarko

[MargotDarko 0]

I've heard some controversy over whether Bellatrix Lestrange died. When I read it, I thought it was clear that she had. Thoughts?

And what was up with Tonks and Lupin's death??? Why didn't she describe the battle that killed them? It was almost like it was an afterthought.

Oh, an I heard that Arthur Weasley was the character who got the reprieve. Evidently he was supposed to kick the bucket in book 5.

I agree that it's clear Bellatrix died. Otherwise, Voldemort wouldn't have been pissed off. Also, it would have been mentioned that she lived.