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Reader Comments: (Page 33)

WOW. The heads were just a rolling in this book, huh? I don’t know if it’s just me, but this book doesn’t seem like any of JK’s previous books.The style seems different (children torturing and being tortured and being ed, animals , cussing, people being dismembered, base betrayal, people setting up other peoples’ lives as sacrifices meaning Dumbledore and Harry, lies and secrets, spying, using people for ulterior motives, and kind of gorey fates, the list goes on and on. It’s definitely changed from her Sorcerers’ Stone, this seems to be so much more complex and the shifting plots may be a little too fast-paced and twisting for her younger; say middle school and younger aunce to follow, it seems to lean more towards her older aunce which is good because her readers, like me, are growing up.)And it really makes me wonder if JK really wrote this on her own or if she borrowed some of the ideas from the fans. Which is okay and all seeing as she added more depth to some of them and was able to explain some of the things we were wondering about. One reason for believing this is most of our ideas were right! Infact more than half of mine were correct or atleast correct in some way. And I noticed many of the ideas that other people came up with were addressed or used in the book as well.

This would mean ethier:

1.) We are very clever and were able to predict part of the book and it was just a coinsidence that these things appeared in the book and played a serious role.
Or

2.) She decided to come up with an ending that most of her fans would like (seeing as they were the ones who actually came up with it, there would be less complaints) and that she just improvised and gave more scope to the ideas.

This is by far one of the best books she came up with in my opinion, even though it was sad, it was the most eventful. Which personally I like. It was a great gift for my 19th B-Day on the 21st. I (whom doesn’t normally enjoy reading) couldn’t put it down and it certainly tied up a lot of lose ends and some lingering questions I had.

Although now that the 7th book is complete I have quite a few new questions to ask and hopefully discuss.

Posted by Heather from Charlevoix, MI on July 23, 2007 9:24 PM

does anybody think that it is weird that JK started writing this 17 yrs ago, when Daniel was 1 yr old, just like Harry? and that daniel said he got to keep the sword from the second movie which is what harry needed to get rid of the horcruxes and Daniel and Harry both were born in July. one thing about the book marvolo said he was a descendent of the peverells and dumbledore said that so was Harry. so was it not then that Harry and voldemort were kin? wouldn't have been Hagrid who did magic late in life? i know he did some in other books but he came out in the open in this book. do you think it was fred she didn't mean to ? for some reason unless it was for Mrs weasley to go after Bellatrix, but that was explained when she almost ed ginny. his didn't make much sence to me. Percy had already come back to the flock so he needn't to for that. what I would love is if Jk would go back and do another 7 books of Lilly's james, sirius, lupin and snapes story, we just got glimpse of them through the years. I am so glad that Harry Potter is still the boy-who-lived. thanks jk for bringing nations of the world together all for the love of a boy and his adventures.

Posted by Pamela sue from ark on July 23, 2007 9:24 PM

For some odd reason after all who have d, after all the tears shed (fictional and my own), I feel happy. I finished the book with a smile on my face. Although some of our personal favorites are gone and relasonships left till the end. You can't help but think this is the way it was supposed to end. Now for my dad to finish so I reread and catch anything I missed being so engrossed in the book.

Posted by Katherine Pittman on July 23, 2007 9:32 PM

Two questions that I think were unasnwered unless my attention slipped.

1) Harry's eyes being so similiar to Lily's, was it because of the Voldemort horcrux, or did I miss something?

2) The veil in the Department of Mysteries, that was something I never understood, and in the Tale of the Three brothers, a "veil was referred to as what kept being from being revvived fully by the resurrection stone, so the veil is a bit confusing to me.

Posted by A Fan from New York on July 23, 2007 9:33 PM

w from Singapore, I suppose that would be the case, but, ugh...who wants Umbridge in the headmaster's office?

Actually, now I can't decide if I think it's a mistake on Rowling's part for not mentioning Snape in the office. Was it a mistake, or would there be any reason for him not to be in the office? Is it possible that, because he was acting under pretense....nah, that seems too farfetched to even continue...

By the way, I was talking to a friend about Fred's ...about how it seemed insignificant, and I noticed some people on here said the same, but then she made a good point (and one that I had actually realized but forgotten for some reason) that his , so quick and sudden and seemingly random, was a perfect way to emphasize the way of Lord Voldemort...that's how really would be, if he actually existed...it's not always some drawn out, dramatic thing...and, I mean, Sirius d quickly, along with Harry's father, and Cedric....innocent people in a flash (no pun intended)...it just emphasizes how horrible times were with Voldemort at large.

Posted by Katie T from California on July 23, 2007 9:38 PM

JKR probably had a lot of material that she had to cut out because the book would have been too long - in her web site she mentions having a whole biography of Pr. Flitwick for instance that never fit in any of the 7 novels. In the line of her little books "Fantastic Beasts and where to Find them" and the Quidditch one, maybe her next book be "Hogwarts, A History", with all the plots she cut out, about each teachers (that was great to see Trelawney fighting Eaters by throwing crystal balls by the way... fun touch!) and their families (she said we would know more about this, but nothing!) and also what happens after the battle, how the castle is rebuilt and if the trio and everybody go back for a "real" year of learning.

By the way, Snape's portrait is probably on the wall, as Harry mentions him as one of the headmasters to his son. But not Umbridge who was never "accepted" by Hogwarts and could not get in the Head Master's office.

Right after Dumbledore's , his portrait showed him with closed eyes, as if he was asleep. Maybe a certain time is necessary before a portrait starts "being active". That would explain why there is no mention of Snape's portrait in the finale scene in the office, with all the portraits applauding.

Posted by Cecil from Tacoma, WA on July 23, 2007 9:47 PM

did anyone notice that this book took place 10 years ago? it said that the Potter's d in 1981, which would be Harry was born in 1980, and now he is 17 which brings up to 1997...? Do you think that this was deliberate?

Posted by Jenny from Los Angeles, CA on July 23, 2007 9:54 PM

About Snape and Harry's "lack of emotion" at his :

Harry is moved by Snape's love for Lily, and his courage, but he never had a close connection with him like he had with Sirius. Snape could also be a mean guy - go back to the 6 previous books and see how he treated Harry and also Neville, and many others. We understand now that he was mean because he was so unhappy and bitter, not to mention full of guilt - a good recipe for bullying people.

Anyway, Harry could not have the emotions of tragic loss for him he had for Sirius. In addition, the s are mentioned briefly at this point of the novel because they are seen from the point of view of Harry, in the middle of the final battle - no time to stop and mourn then. That would come later... He obviously thought a lot of Snape in the years after this scene, since he named his son after him.

Posted by Cecil from Tacoma WA on July 23, 2007 9:56 PM

First, I just want to say that this is by far the best book I have ever read. It answered almost all my questions... almost all... There is still one question that has gone unanswered. What happened to Luna? Did she go on to edit the quibbler? Was she married? If so, to whom? I thought her and Dean had something going on at the end there...

Posted by Jake Christensen on July 23, 2007 10:03 PM

The unbeatable wand gets beaten quite a few times.
The perfect cloak fails under Moody's gaze.
The ressurection stone... not quite as advertised.

Obviously Dumbledore was correct, and '' did not create these items. They were just made by three brothers with unmatched s in the creation of magical objects. All three are very powerful for what they are, but they are not as perfect as the Bard story would have people believe.

Posted by Brett from BC, Canada on July 23, 2007 10:18 PM

a week or so ago, i was watching a special about the hidden secrets of HP. it was pretty good and gave me an idea that i had never thought of before..and that is jkr's theme of prejudice throughout the book series--especially harry's prejudice against slytherins, particularly draco. the narrator made a comment that in order for jkr to continue with this theme of prejudice, or rather anti-prejudice, there would have to be some sort of reconciliation between draco and harry. thus, this is what i was looking for through DH--and i found it! below are some of my other thoughts--warning--they are pretty critical.

1). for me, the most tragic was Dobby's. I was utterly in shock, and was forced to put the book down and take a half a day's break from reading the book.

2). the comments about dudley being the one to show magic later in life, doesn't fit for me. showing love doesn't constitute "magic"--muggles are perfectly capable of showing love.

3). I am not sure if anyone agree with me, but i go ahead and say it: i didn't like the lily/snape ship. i thought it was awful and boring--the entire chapter of "the prince's tale" and found myself being frustrated to have to read it! i was sad that snape d, and was expecting something different from the memory he handed to harry--like a secret about voldemort or something. i was very disappointed by it being about him and lily. oh well..

4). i was hoping for more romantic scenes between ron and hermione. i had been hoping for this ever since the third book when i figured out that ginny and harry were going to end up together (her resemblance to lily) and obviously ron and hermione. but as someone pointed out in their comment--ron finally proved himself worthy of hermione. i agree.

5). i think the most shocking thing for me--besides dobby's , was harry's use of 2 out of the 3 unforgivable curses! i was stunned! and it seemed as if harry had no remorse for using them either! somehow that didn't sit well with me...

6). there is a comment about the unanswered question of how did james inherit the money. i think i have a possible answer. in DH, ollivander (i think) says that whoever had the cloak would undoubtedly be rich. is it safe to say that is how the potter riches were obtained?

7). I would also like to know what happened to Crookshanks and why he is not mentioned...especially since he has a special power. i am thinking she was originally in the book, but for some reason was edited out.

8). Some comments remarked that hedwig was ed as a foreshadow of and also to get harry accustomed to losing all that is close to him. i disagree. i think hedwig, along with harry's firebolt was "destroyed" early on, simply because JKR needed a way to get rid of them for harry--i mean, given the adventures of harry, ron, and hermione, it now seems like it would be pretty cumbersome for harry to have to drag his broom and hedwig's cage around with him all the time--even with hermione's beaded bag:)

Okay, now for my major criticisms:

Overall, I am pleased with the book--mainly because it has a happy ending, but i was thoroughly disappointed with a few things:

1). i felt there was too much interaction between dumbledore and harry--and that harry never really grew into his own--like dumbledore was still aiding him a little too much. with hbp, i felt, ok dumbledore is out of the pic so let's see what harry can do...but i was disappointed by all of the help dumbledore gave him. i actually was tired of seeing dumbledore in the book! it was sort of like he overshadowed harry in a way.

2) i don't know if anyone else felt like this, but it seemed like hermione was a mole or something. she kept effing up! she destroyed harry's wand, kept discouraging him about the hallows, etc...she was really getting on my nerves...

3)generally, i have been impressed with jkr's writing in the previous books, but her writing in DH was terrible! she kept using double negatives, double words like "had had", it was awful! i didn't know who to blame, her or the editor! also, i found myself bored with the first couple hundred pages of the book...it dragged. and to piggyback another comment on the thread, it felt like the book was unevenly written.

4.) ok--i know i am going to get some criticism for this, but i felt a little mislead about the HP and the ly hallows toward the end. first, we didn't really learn about what the hallows were until relatively later in the book, and then it seemed to be conflicting with the finding of horcruxes. i think we all pretty much expected this book to be about the adventures of finding the horcruxes, but it wasn't--which was disappointing, because i think the whole story about the hallows was a bit distracting. unlike the previous books--which tended to center around one main theme, and perhaps a few subplots--this book seemed to have two main themes, and it was a bit confusing for me, because i was unsure of what to follow. for instance--should harry go after the hallows or the horcruxes? and if he got the hallows, and became the master of , then why would he even need to destroy the horcruxes to voldemort? then--if dumbledore didn't want harry to have all three of the hallows (which later became evident), then why did he him the ring? why did he give hermione the clue? i didn't get it? what would be the point? my only guess was the wand trick at the end...BUT..the wand could be explained without the hallows story--as voldemort had obviously not heard or believed the story and went after the hallows (as evidenced by him not trying to obtain the cloak and turning the ring into a horcrux instead). all harry would need to know was about the "unbeatable" wand.

5) okay, and lastly--and i am sure i probably get retorts on this one too--did anyone else find the "out of body" experience of harry's to be a bit far-fetched? i mean as i was reading it and dumbledore kept talking around in circles, i was getting frustrated! i guess that is why when dumbledore snuffed it in HBP, i was not all that dismayed. don't get me wrong, he was a great character, but he can be very indirect--which i think most people think of as "wisdom". i am not sure if i totally agree with that logic. also, dumbledore's explanation of harry's wand behavior toward voldemort's was ludicrous and i have no idea what he was talking about. actually, now that i think about it, dumbledore reminds me of this character in this movie called "Mystery Men". there was this character that all of the other characters regarded as very wise, but in fact, he was only saying the opposite of everything he said first (as one character in the movie pointed out). for instance he would say: "Did the door close on the man, OR did the man close the door?" --to which the characters would all be struck in awe and say "wow!"

Posted by Missy from Cleveland, OH on July 23, 2007 10:21 PM

And why do people say they don't like the epilogue when JKR had had that chapter written for years? I liked it a lot.

I have to say I was a Snape-hater. But I guess I wasn't very good at it, because inside I guess I belived Snape might have been good, but when we've hated Snape for so long...well, I have to say the part when he admits to Dumbledore he loves Harry just broke my heart.

I don't usually cry when I read the sad parts of books-I mean I feel the loss, but it doesn't really get to me. However, I must admit that I really cried during chapter 34. I mean Harry just walks up to his , he doesn't even say goodbye...that broke me. I fell apart when Lily and James and Sirius and Lupin come for him-"We're so proud of you, Harry." And when Harry is about to , he just thinks of Ginny (how romantic) and that tore me to pieces. Then I read the next chapter at King's Cross, find out that Harry didn't , and think to myself, "Man, JK Rowling is a great author. No one else has made me cry like that." SHE IS A GENIUS!

A wonderful ending to book and saga...I'm thirsty for more. I suppose I am content with my imaginings of another book, but eventually I'll need it to be real...

Posted by C. J. from Utah on July 23, 2007 10:27 PM

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