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alfreda89 ([personal profile] alfreda89) wrote2007-07-23 02:55 am
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And done --

I didn't go to the parties, this time; attempting to sleep was more important. But W went off Saturday a.m. and got me a copy of HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS as soon as we finally surfaced for air.

We then went off to see LIFE FREE OR DIE HARD, which was gloriously mindless, had a thread of plot to hold it together, and gave us Justin Long doing geek at his best, and Bruce Willis (not saying "I'm getting too old for this" but clearly thinking it). Attending had its humor -- Inky had a bad sleep night, so gave up and read her copy of Potter, finishing at 5 a.m. She then went to breakfast with her spouse and friends, faded and fell asleep on the couch. L went to join us and friends from out of town for the movie -- though the person who organized it decided seeing it four times was too much, and begged off!

I was feeling off after the movie, so we went home and I started reading. There was a break for dinner in there. I finished about 500 pages, then tried to sleep.

Today, some work got done -- hope to finish a bit more in the next few minutes. But I made the mistake of dipping into DEATHLY HALLOWS as a break, around midnight -- and now it is much too late, but I have finished the story.

I can say that Rowling did what she does best -- her exquisite talent for weaving plot brought every bird home to roost, her talent for characterization having only grown. I read the last battle twice, because I was as proud of Harry as I was of Rowling.

People die. A lot of people die, most of them fighting for what they believed in. And others live, to the reward of rebuilding the world that remains. It was pleasant to see my suspicions rewarded, my theories succeed or fail, and to be surprised several times.

Are there more tales of Hogwarts and its world? Possibly -- if that little voice in the back of her mind whispers to Rowling again.

In the meantime -- I got my money's worth. I will probably reread this series several times. It is not LoTR, or RIDDLEMASTER, or BRIDGE OF BIRDS and its sequels. But it's definitely top twenty, and I suspect top ten.

I hope that you, too, will be satisfied.

[identity profile] renegade500.livejournal.com 2007-07-23 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
I too opted for sleeping Friday night, and I went to Target Saturday morning, got my book and was in and out in about 10 minutes. Much better than spending hours in line. I then went to a coffee shop for some coffee and some quality reading, but several folks at the coffee shop were very curious for me to just turn to the last pages and give them the ending, which I declined to do.

I finished it up yesterday around noon. I won't give away info for those who are still reading, but I was very happy with how Rowling answered the one big question I had at the end of Half Blood Price.

The only thing I didn't like was the Epilogue, but I suppose she did that to at least leave the possibility as you say of returning to Hogwarts at some point in the future.

[identity profile] alfreda89.livejournal.com 2007-07-23 05:44 pm (UTC)(link)

The only thing I didn't like was the Epilogue, but I suppose she did that to at least leave the possibility as you say of returning to Hogwarts at some point in the future.


Yes. The question always is, how do all of them reach that point? The eternal author tidbit to dangle.