HP and the Deathly Hallows
Jul. 21st, 2007 04:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emony Well. I picked it up at midnight - there were two bookshops open in the town centre, and both had HUGE queues. I finally managed to get my copy, headed home, and started reading at about 12.30 this morning. I had to stop at 5am to get a few hours kip, by which point I was about halfway through. I got up just before 10am and started again, and I finished just over an hour ago.
Overall, I loved it. There were things that I didn't like, but nothing major that I didn't expect or know was going to happen. So, let's see:
The good:
1). Harry was a bit awesome in this one. He did some emo moping, but none of it was unreasonable, and at the end when he stood up and took charge, that was pretty cool. Also, he was definitely using his brain, and not relying on Hermione to do his thinking for a change.
2). The ending - Harry sort of trying to save Voldemort from himself, and Voldemort ending up killing himself. The wand ownership stuff was a bit confusing, and probably needs at least one re-read, but I like that Harry didn't just overpower him with magic and kill him harder than Voldemort could kill Harry back.
3). Harry and Hermione (and Ron) tramping about the country in a tend, afraid for their lives, no idea what they're doing, and no idea what's going on around them. It's tragic and painful, but it was a lot more real than bumbling about at school having jolly adventures.
4). DEAN!! :) Dean Thomas, you little cutie pie! He didn't even do much, but I was glad he was there.
5). Luna! Ditto. She was awesome, in all ways. I hope she ended up happy. I feel bad for her poor father though - of course he tried to save his daughter, what parent wouldn't? I hope Ron understands that now that he has sprogs of his own, and is a little more understanding.
6). Draco lived! Okay, I admit a bit of partiality here. That was, to be perfectly honest, the only thing I really cared about. There were things I was hoping for, or hoping wouldn't happen, but the only thing I really, really wanted was for Draco to live and, if possible, not spend the next 100+ years in Azkaban. Thanks JKR :)
7). Kingsley. He's a bit of awesome, right there. I think he'll make a good Minister.
8). Neville. Yay :) I've never been a big Neville fan. Or any kind of Neville fan, actually. But I'm glad he, and Luna, were doing what they could, and I'm really glad Neville got to finish off Nagini. So the Horcruxes were taken out by: Dumbledore (ring), Harry (diary), Voldemort (Harry), Hermione (cup), Ron (locket), Neville (Nagini), and Crabbe (diadem - thanks![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
aphedas, I forgot that one!). That's nice.
9). Harry = horcrux. I KNEW IT!!!!
10). Ron/Hermione finally getting together. At bloody last. And Harry denying ANY romantic feelings for Hermione, and saying that she's like a SISTER to him. DAMN STRAIGHT.
The bad:
1). Ginny. *sigh* Super!Ginny really doesn't do it for me. I know we're in Harry's POV, so we've got a biased narrative, but I always sort of expect Ginny to turn up killing Voldemort with one hand, delivering Tonks' baby with the other, while also preparing a 25 course banquet for 100 and finding a cure for cancer. She's such a little MarySue, I can't stand her anymore. It's sad, because I liked her in earlier books - you know, the ones were she was Ginny, not Super!Ginny! Oh well, at least that's over with now.
2). The internal contradictions. OMG! These annoy me so much. There were two that I spotted on my first read through, which really stressed me out.
Firstly:
- "I've also modified my parents' memories so that they're convinced they're really called Wendell and Monica Wilkins.." [Hermione, page 86 UK edition]
- "But I've never done a Memory Charm."
"Nor have I," said Hermione, "but I know the theory." [Ron and Hermione, page 139 UK edition]
WTF!
Secondly:
- "..take them - take them to -"
"Bill and Fleur's," said Ron. "Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!" [Harry and Ron, page 379 UK edition]
- "How are they protected?" asked Harry.
"Fidelius Charm. Dad's Secret Keeper. And we've done it on this cottage too; I'm Secret Keeper here." [Harry and Bill, page 390 UK edition]
If the cottage is protected by a Fidelius Charm, how could Ron tell everyone to apparate there? This one I can sort of forgive, because perhaps I am misreading and the Fidelius Charm was put on the cottage *after* they all arrived. But I don't see any way out of the memory charm/no memory charm thing.
So that annoyed me.
3). Snape's death seemed rather pointless, after all the build up. And really, his amazing sacrifices (not a Snape fan here, but..) are almost entirely unrecognised, except by Harry.
4). Kings Cross / The Prince's Tale. Tell not show? Hm.
5). Tonks got on my nerves and she wasn't even really in it at all. Just popped out a sprog and then died.
6). I didn't feel particularly emotional about any of the deaths actually. The closest I got were Fred and Hedwig. None of the others .. I mean, we didn't even see how Tonks and Remus died, nor who killed them, so how can we possibly get upset over it? It's sad for their kid, but otherwise - so what? Remus certainly seemed a lot happier in death than he did when he was alive and fretting about having knocked Tonks up, and really, if he was that concerned about it, he probably should've put some thought into matters before they had sex! Typical man. Oh, Ted Tonks' death was a bit sad too. I don't think enough "key" people died though. Mad-Eye, yes, bit sad, Hedwig - sad, but she's a fricking owl, Fred, Tonks and Lupin - Fred was sad, but Tonks and Lupin's deaths were such a non-event, they barely count. I think we should've lost at least one more Weasley (Ginny would be my choice *eg*, but perhaps Charlie should've gone, or one of the parents - not because I dislike them, although I'm not overly fond of the parents, but because it seems like they *ought* to have gone), and .. I don't know, Neville or Luna or someone in the order who we care about. Oh Lav-lav died, didn't she. Look at that, I clean forgot her. Shows what an impact that death had.
7). There were an AWFUL lot of unforgivable curses flying around, on both sides, with no comment made by anyone about the "good" guys killing, torturing and Imperio-ing people.
8). The epilogue. That was utter pap, that was. Could've done well without that. Read like bad, bad, bad fanfic. Especially giving their pastle of children the names of their dead parents and parent-figures. Excuse me while I vomit. I liked that Harry was okay with his kid being in Slytherin (although I suspect that was more "It's okay son, you can choose not to be teh ev0l, as I did), and I liked the sense of hope - that they're all living okay lives, including Draco and the mysterious Mrs Draco (Pansy, perhaps?). But really, I'd rather not have known. Leave it open and let us insert our own endings, please.
Overall, it started well, and ended well, but the middle felt like a whole lot of hurry up and wait. Nothing actually happened at all for about ten chapters.
I can't help comparing my reaction to this to the way I felt when![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
nocturne_alley ended. That was, what, four years ago now? I bawled and bawled at the end of that. I mourned those characters for weeks, months even. I was beside myself over Pansy Parkinson's death - it still gets me now, and the loss of that Lupin and Lucius and all the other characters, that really affected me. This ..? I suspect I'm over it already. And that's really sad.
Ah well. Roll on the fanfic fixits!
Overall, I loved it. There were things that I didn't like, but nothing major that I didn't expect or know was going to happen. So, let's see:
The good:
1). Harry was a bit awesome in this one. He did some emo moping, but none of it was unreasonable, and at the end when he stood up and took charge, that was pretty cool. Also, he was definitely using his brain, and not relying on Hermione to do his thinking for a change.
2). The ending - Harry sort of trying to save Voldemort from himself, and Voldemort ending up killing himself. The wand ownership stuff was a bit confusing, and probably needs at least one re-read, but I like that Harry didn't just overpower him with magic and kill him harder than Voldemort could kill Harry back.
3). Harry and Hermione (and Ron) tramping about the country in a tend, afraid for their lives, no idea what they're doing, and no idea what's going on around them. It's tragic and painful, but it was a lot more real than bumbling about at school having jolly adventures.
4). DEAN!! :) Dean Thomas, you little cutie pie! He didn't even do much, but I was glad he was there.
5). Luna! Ditto. She was awesome, in all ways. I hope she ended up happy. I feel bad for her poor father though - of course he tried to save his daughter, what parent wouldn't? I hope Ron understands that now that he has sprogs of his own, and is a little more understanding.
6). Draco lived! Okay, I admit a bit of partiality here. That was, to be perfectly honest, the only thing I really cared about. There were things I was hoping for, or hoping wouldn't happen, but the only thing I really, really wanted was for Draco to live and, if possible, not spend the next 100+ years in Azkaban. Thanks JKR :)
7). Kingsley. He's a bit of awesome, right there. I think he'll make a good Minister.
8). Neville. Yay :) I've never been a big Neville fan. Or any kind of Neville fan, actually. But I'm glad he, and Luna, were doing what they could, and I'm really glad Neville got to finish off Nagini. So the Horcruxes were taken out by: Dumbledore (ring), Harry (diary), Voldemort (Harry), Hermione (cup), Ron (locket), Neville (Nagini), and Crabbe (diadem - thanks
aphedas, I forgot that one!). That's nice.9). Harry = horcrux. I KNEW IT!!!!
10). Ron/Hermione finally getting together. At bloody last. And Harry denying ANY romantic feelings for Hermione, and saying that she's like a SISTER to him. DAMN STRAIGHT.
The bad:
1). Ginny. *sigh* Super!Ginny really doesn't do it for me. I know we're in Harry's POV, so we've got a biased narrative, but I always sort of expect Ginny to turn up killing Voldemort with one hand, delivering Tonks' baby with the other, while also preparing a 25 course banquet for 100 and finding a cure for cancer. She's such a little MarySue, I can't stand her anymore. It's sad, because I liked her in earlier books - you know, the ones were she was Ginny, not Super!Ginny! Oh well, at least that's over with now.
2). The internal contradictions. OMG! These annoy me so much. There were two that I spotted on my first read through, which really stressed me out.
Firstly:
- "I've also modified my parents' memories so that they're convinced they're really called Wendell and Monica Wilkins.." [Hermione, page 86 UK edition]
- "But I've never done a Memory Charm."
"Nor have I," said Hermione, "but I know the theory." [Ron and Hermione, page 139 UK edition]
WTF!
Secondly:
- "..take them - take them to -"
"Bill and Fleur's," said Ron. "Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!" [Harry and Ron, page 379 UK edition]
- "How are they protected?" asked Harry.
"Fidelius Charm. Dad's Secret Keeper. And we've done it on this cottage too; I'm Secret Keeper here." [Harry and Bill, page 390 UK edition]
If the cottage is protected by a Fidelius Charm, how could Ron tell everyone to apparate there? This one I can sort of forgive, because perhaps I am misreading and the Fidelius Charm was put on the cottage *after* they all arrived. But I don't see any way out of the memory charm/no memory charm thing.
So that annoyed me.
3). Snape's death seemed rather pointless, after all the build up. And really, his amazing sacrifices (not a Snape fan here, but..) are almost entirely unrecognised, except by Harry.
4). Kings Cross / The Prince's Tale. Tell not show? Hm.
5). Tonks got on my nerves and she wasn't even really in it at all. Just popped out a sprog and then died.
6). I didn't feel particularly emotional about any of the deaths actually. The closest I got were Fred and Hedwig. None of the others .. I mean, we didn't even see how Tonks and Remus died, nor who killed them, so how can we possibly get upset over it? It's sad for their kid, but otherwise - so what? Remus certainly seemed a lot happier in death than he did when he was alive and fretting about having knocked Tonks up, and really, if he was that concerned about it, he probably should've put some thought into matters before they had sex! Typical man. Oh, Ted Tonks' death was a bit sad too. I don't think enough "key" people died though. Mad-Eye, yes, bit sad, Hedwig - sad, but she's a fricking owl, Fred, Tonks and Lupin - Fred was sad, but Tonks and Lupin's deaths were such a non-event, they barely count. I think we should've lost at least one more Weasley (Ginny would be my choice *eg*, but perhaps Charlie should've gone, or one of the parents - not because I dislike them, although I'm not overly fond of the parents, but because it seems like they *ought* to have gone), and .. I don't know, Neville or Luna or someone in the order who we care about. Oh Lav-lav died, didn't she. Look at that, I clean forgot her. Shows what an impact that death had.
7). There were an AWFUL lot of unforgivable curses flying around, on both sides, with no comment made by anyone about the "good" guys killing, torturing and Imperio-ing people.
8). The epilogue. That was utter pap, that was. Could've done well without that. Read like bad, bad, bad fanfic. Especially giving their pastle of children the names of their dead parents and parent-figures. Excuse me while I vomit. I liked that Harry was okay with his kid being in Slytherin (although I suspect that was more "It's okay son, you can choose not to be teh ev0l, as I did), and I liked the sense of hope - that they're all living okay lives, including Draco and the mysterious Mrs Draco (Pansy, perhaps?). But really, I'd rather not have known. Leave it open and let us insert our own endings, please.
Overall, it started well, and ended well, but the middle felt like a whole lot of hurry up and wait. Nothing actually happened at all for about ten chapters.
I can't help comparing my reaction to this to the way I felt when
nocturne_alley ended. That was, what, four years ago now? I bawled and bawled at the end of that. I mourned those characters for weeks, months even. I was beside myself over Pansy Parkinson's death - it still gets me now, and the loss of that Lupin and Lucius and all the other characters, that really affected me. This ..? I suspect I'm over it already. And that's really sad.Ah well. Roll on the fanfic fixits!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-21 06:53 pm (UTC)Dumbledore (ring), Harry (diary), Voldemort (Harry), Hermione (cup), Ron (locket), and Neville (Nagini). That's nice.
I didn't notice they were all different. And add Crabbe (diadem) to that.
I'm going to be generous and assume Hermione used a different spell (or set of spells) to modify her parents' memories. Actually to be consistent with the earlier books she has to as they established that long-term use of that one damages the memory, and I don't think Hermione is quite that ruthless.
Oh, I hope Draco got someone better than Pansy. Perhaps Rowling likes the Draco fanficcers best, since she didn't specify who it was. I vote for Luna! Shame she said wife instead of partner though. Bit harder to slash.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-21 07:13 pm (UTC)Balls. Can't believe I forgot that one. Thanks.
You're much kinder than I. I think it's probably an error on JKR's and her editor's part, and it annoys me. I thought it was repeated use of memory charms, rather than long-term use? E.g. the Muggles on the campsite in GOF who had their memories altered multiple times got all confused about things. Although there was also the witch (her name escapes me, how terrible!) in GOF who knew about Crouch's son - she had a long-term charm, I think, that did damage her mind, so yes, perhaps you're right. I think, realistically, JKR was just trying to get Hermione's poor neglected parents out of the way, because, as Muggles, they just aren't that interesting (I so disagree! If I wrote HP fic, I'd definitely write something about Mr and Mrs Granger's take on losing their daughter to this bizarre world).
I don't think it is Pansy really. After her shout to hand Harry over to You Know Who, I can't really see reformed!Draco (well, sort of reformed) marrying her. He's all quiet and emo now, and would probably end up with someone equally quiet. It could be anyone really - I thought of Luna, and then Gabrielle Delacour, for some reason, but there are others too - Cho Chang, maybe? In order for their son to be blond-haired and grey-eyed, he'd actually really need a blond-haired blue-eyed wife, but since this is the JKR-verse, genetics don't really apply (cf: Narcissa "blonde" Black Malfoy). So who knows.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-21 07:36 pm (UTC)And, yes, Hermione's parents. Because, she does integrate so completely. Shucks off the Muggle so easily. Yet, for her parents, it must feel a poor substitute, as well as robbing them of their daughter, and also very difficult to explain to friends why their brilliant daughter isn't going to uni.
As to the genetics, if I'm remembering my TEE human biology correctly, both hair and eye-colour are polygenic (more than one gene contributes), so you can get odd results, especially with hair-colour, I think. The thing, with eye-colour, you definitely can't have is two blue-eyed parents having a brown-eyed child. But Draco, with grey eyes can marry a brown-eyed partner and still have a grey-eyed child as long as his partner has the correct recessive genes necessary for grey eyes.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-21 09:45 pm (UTC)I think it must be difficult for Hermione's parents that they're so completely unable to be a part of her life. They just see her off to school, or more often than not they see her off to the Weasley's house after a week or two of summer holidays, and that's it. She's gone from 11 to 18 barely knowing her own parents - how can they possibly have any sort of relationship with her?
I bow to your greater knowledge on the genetics front, particularly as it opens up the field to all sorts of possible Mrs Draco Malfoys ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-21 10:45 pm (UTC)Firstly:
- "I've also modified my parents' memories so that they're convinced they're really called Wendell and Monica Wilkins.." [Hermione, page 86 UK edition]
- "But I've never done a Memory Charm."
"Nor have I," said Hermione, "but I know the theory." [Ron and Hermione, page 139 UK edition]
WTF!
I noticed the exact same thing! I'm usually the last person to spot plot contradictions but this one bugged me.
Harry and Hermione (and Ron) tramping about the country in a tend, afraid for their lives, no idea what they're doing, and no idea what's going on around them. It's tragic and painful, but it was a lot more real than bumbling about at school having jolly adventures.
I really liked that as well. It wasn't all: I HAVE A PLAN!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-22 01:31 pm (UTC)I'm glad it's not just me who's bugged by those sorts of things! I'm sure she'll come up with some reasoning for it though.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-25 04:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-22 01:08 pm (UTC)Oh, yes. Loved that! It was so different but it had to be.
I'm annoyed that she didn't show Remus' death. I had to reread that line a few times since the first time I thought they actually were just lying there exhausted. :/
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-22 01:32 pm (UTC)Yeah, me too. I was like, "wait, are they .. are they dead? No, sleeping. No wait, dead. Huh." and by the time I'd been through all that, it was quite hard to care. Which is sad, because I've always liked Remus :(
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-22 01:34 pm (UTC)While yes, I see how this works well in theory, I thought in practice it lagged a bit and perhaps a little less of it would have been nice. I really felt the book dragging after a bit. However, it really picked up again towards the end. I totally agree with all of the rest of your good points. *g*
Also I agree re Snape's death. I would have liked to know that everyone had to change their attitude towards Snape (maybe by not passing on old House prejudices to their children, hmm, Ron?) and that he was given the recognition he deserved. Because basically he was working deep cover for years! How difficult must that be? He must have been in hell, and then he died. It's almost as tragic as twelve wasted years in Azkaban. :(
The epilogue. That was utter pap, that was. Could've done well without that. Read like bad, bad, bad fanfic.
So true!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-22 05:50 pm (UTC)Ron's comments in the epilogue did annoy me, but they weren't a surprise. Ron not being prejudiced against Slytherins would be like Snape donning a floral-print shirt and dancing through the Great Hall singing "I feel pretty". It's just not who he is. It's not good, but it's part of who Ron is. I suppose the reputation and redemption of Snape is just another thing that we will have to sort out via the medium of fanfic ;)