Spring Break
Review: final book the Harry Potter septilogy
Annette McFarland
Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: Diversions
Grade: A+
Summer 2007 marked a turning point in my life: it was my last summer in Corvallis, I fell in love (with Dennis Kucinich) and, oh yes, the most anticipated book ever in the history of the world came out! I am talking, of course, of the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series - nay, the Harry Potter epic adventure.
Harry Potter has been a very important part of my life ever since I read the first book approximately eight years ago. I have spent over a third of my life escaping to the wizarding world, discussing the books with friends, watching the movies and gobbling up as much merchandise as I could get my hands on. And now, c'est finis.
It was all leading up to this, the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort, in which Voldemort vanquishes Harry and enslaves all the muggles, forcing them to live underground and do his laundry. Just kidding! The real ending of the book is far more satisfying and congruent to the over-arching themes and plot lines of the series, and it is much too precious to reveal in this measly article. Besides, I know what it's like to have the end of a Harry Potter book ruined. (Darn you, five-year-old kid at a START session two summers ago!)
Rowling was on her A-game with this one. "Deathly Hallows" begins with Harry, Ron and Hermione preparing for their quest to find and destroy the horcruxes so Voldemort can ultimately be defeated. We become immediately aware of the seriousness of their task, as various friends are felled along the way. This book will have you laughing, crying and, yes, even screaming at times. I honestly jumped during what was hands down the scariest scene in the entire series (see Chapter 17).
Rowling brilliantly brings back characters we haven't seen in awhile and introduces us to new ones. My favorite was Xenophilius, Luna Lovegood's dad. I plan on naming my first-born son after him. Xenophilius: powerful, eccentric, exotic. With a name like that, a kid could go far … I digress. All of the new and returning characters help Harry solve the mysteries of his parallel quests to defeat Voldemort and discover the truth about Dumbledore's past. And of course Rowling doesn't forget to answer the question that has been on the minds of HP fans since "The Sorcerer's Stone": Is Snape good or evil?
Summer 2007 marked a turning point in my life: it was my last summer in Corvallis, I fell in love (with Dennis Kucinich) and, oh yes, the most anticipated book ever in the history of the world came out! I am talking, of course, of the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series - nay, the Harry Potter epic adventure.
Harry Potter has been a very important part of my life ever since I read the first book approximately eight years ago. I have spent over a third of my life escaping to the wizarding world, discussing the books with friends, watching the movies and gobbling up as much merchandise as I could get my hands on. And now, c'est finis.
It was all leading up to this, the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort, in which Voldemort vanquishes Harry and enslaves all the muggles, forcing them to live underground and do his laundry. Just kidding! The real ending of the book is far more satisfying and congruent to the over-arching themes and plot lines of the series, and it is much too precious to reveal in this measly article. Besides, I know what it's like to have the end of a Harry Potter book ruined. (Darn you, five-year-old kid at a START session two summers ago!)
Rowling was on her A-game with this one. "Deathly Hallows" begins with Harry, Ron and Hermione preparing for their quest to find and destroy the horcruxes so Voldemort can ultimately be defeated. We become immediately aware of the seriousness of their task, as various friends are felled along the way. This book will have you laughing, crying and, yes, even screaming at times. I honestly jumped during what was hands down the scariest scene in the entire series (see Chapter 17).
Rowling brilliantly brings back characters we haven't seen in awhile and introduces us to new ones. My favorite was Xenophilius, Luna Lovegood's dad. I plan on naming my first-born son after him. Xenophilius: powerful, eccentric, exotic. With a name like that, a kid could go far … I digress. All of the new and returning characters help Harry solve the mysteries of his parallel quests to defeat Voldemort and discover the truth about Dumbledore's past. And of course Rowling doesn't forget to answer the question that has been on the minds of HP fans since "The Sorcerer's Stone": Is Snape good or evil?
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