Comments on: ‘Review’: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By: #33 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows « Small Victories

#33 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows « Small Victories — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:55:44 +0000

[...] countless blogs, including some ridiculously lengthy and insightful reviews from McNutts Elder and Younger. I don’t think my unconditional love for J.K. Rowling will really add anything constructive [...]

By: Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:24:14 +0000

Myles! Excellent review. I didn’t have the paitence to finish half blood so I’m not planning on reading the final installment. You told me everything I needed/wanted to know. I shall frequent your site more often now this is bookmarked and as it brings joy to my boring dilbertesque work day!

Take it easy buddy! Lots of love to the fam and Cody, Zoe and little Jimmy!

By: Myles

Myles — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:53:37 +0000

See, Rivers, my issue is that it just seems like Percy didn’t earn any of the goodwill he now has coming to him. Plus, George already lost an ear, so the twins had seen their fair share of close calls. It just felt like Fred dying and Percy crying over his body made it too easy for everyone to forgive and forget.

And you can’t kill Mrs. Weasley, that would leave the family Motherless. And considering they killed Teddy’s parents, there had already been enough of that.

And, see, I thought the “I’m going to name all of my kids after characters who died and I was attached to” thing was just as hamfisted, although admittedly more charming than the general amassment of kiddlets.

By: uphillflow

uphillflow — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:49:23 +0000

Myles, I think you’ve said almost everything I wished to say… but will that stop me from saying more? Of course not.

Of course, I’ll have my own review of the book up at uphillflow.wordpress.com within the next 12 hours or so, and Ill probably mention these points below in it… but still. Have to provide some fodder.

1) The Much-Bashed Epilogue

– I agree this was hamfisted, and your description of it as fanfic is bang on. However – there are a couple of small moments in it that made it worthwhile. First of all, the fact that Teddy Lupin – who, lest we forget, is Harry’s godson – is happy and healthy is nice to know about. Secondly, and this was my favourite part arguably of the series, because Im a huge sentamentalist and a fan of the underdog, the decision to name the child Albus Severus Potter. The line about Snape being the bravest man Harry knew made me forgive every single little bit of the mass of kiddlets that was running around 9 3/4.

2) Let the Bodies Hit the Floor
– I think the death that stirred me most was certainly Dobby’s. A trooper through and through. I disagree with you ENTIRELY on Percy though. I have always had an attachment to ol’ PW – not least beause my sister Jackie nicknamed me Percy, before he went bad, for my adherence to rules – and I think his return to the family fold would have been totally ruined with a subsequent death. One of the twins made most sense because they were the ones we knew best without knowing personally. And a Weasley had to die. Couldn’t have been Bill, with him being married. Charlie was too much of a mystery. Ron or Ginny would have been devastating to younger fans. Mr. Weasley already had his chances to die, and lived. That left a twin or Mrs. Weasley. A twin would shock us more – since they did everyting together, except die – but Mrs. Weasley would have been a better choice, perhaps. The Ultimate Mother Sacrifice, or similar. But, of course, then we may not have gotten the awesome line to which you referred…

Ill have more at my own blog. Don’t want to run out of steam, y’know.

By: McNutt

McNutt — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:33:22 +0000

As awesome as that line is, I still contest that the best line of the entire book – and the one that got the biggest “holy shit” moment from me – was “The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming.” Especially in the context in which it occurs.