Lynne Kiesling
Very good. Lots of action, plot twists and resolutions. Does justice to the Arthurian and hero themes, without overdoing it (to my taste). Not perfect. But well worth the price of admission.
I’m sure I’ll think of more later, but these are my initial thoughts. More below the cut, with spoilers …
I am saddened, but not surprised, by the body count and the identities of the dead. I had expected Ron and Hagrid to die, and am very glad to be wrong.
That Molly Weasley is something else! I knew she had it in her.
Neville too.
I had finally decided that Snape had to be good, and I had worked out a lot of what we learn about his arrangement with Dumbledore, but I expected the final dénouement between Harry and Snape to be more direct, and to require more acceptance/trust of Snape from Harry before the end of it. I knew it would be Snape’s love of Lily that was the linchpin.
Dumbledore ends up being less didactically categorizable (as my friend D. says, more grey), and more manipulative, than you typically get in a heroic protagonist. But that’s also consistent with the fact that all of the protagonists here are flawed, including Harry.
I wasn’t reading exceedingly carefully, but I missed how it was that Snape evaded all of the Grimmauld Place enchantments against him to get in to ransack and take Lily’s letter to Sirius. I thought Rita Skeeter did it, but I was wrong, but we get no explanation of how he achieved it.
Kreacher’s transformation is great, as is the role the house elves play in the final battle.
Fawkes didn’t play as much of a role in the plot as I anticipated. Nor did the goblins, although the role they do play is quite exciting.
Warning: spoiler
Are you struck a little by how Rowling uses churches and other icons of Christianity without actually acknowledging what they are? The church by the graveyard, Christmas, etc.? And of course the most obvious Christian symbolism, ala Gandalf and Aslan?
Eric,
Yes I am. I knew from interviews with her that there would be themes of Christianity in the book, and in the resolution of the plot. But they were pretty obvious, including Bible quotes on grave headstones etc.
I have to go back and re-read the King’s Cross chapter to get a fuller grasp of the Christianity themes.
My money’s on McGonnagall. She’s a tough cookie and a good leader.
So far seems good, absolutely shocked at how quick it has went into the book.
Different from the other two, but worth the wait.
in the kings cross chapter what does j.k.rowling tying to say with the creater that is in the corner… i mst not of understood what it was because i find that that is the only real unresolved part in the book..?
in the kings cross chapter what does j.k.rowling tying to say with the creater that is in the corner… i mst not of understood what it was because i find that that is the only real unresolved part in the book..?
The “creature in the corner” (actually, laying under a bench IIRC) is explained when Harry confronts Voldemort for the last time and says to him, “I’ve seen what you’ll be otherwise” (i.e. if Voldemort doesn’t attempt to reintegrate his soul via feeling remorse for his many crimes). Dumbledore, in the Kings Cross vision, notes that “there is no help possible” for that being.
church history diagram
Jesus had no problem referring to God as Father – specifically. Several times referring to Him as Abba (Daddy). When people want to refer to verses in scripture which describe God as a mother hen or a woman in labor you are really misinterpreting the p…
church history diagram
Jesus had no problem referring to God as Father – specifically. Several times referring to Him as Abba (Daddy). When people want to refer to verses in scripture which describe God as a mother hen or a woman in labor you are really misinterpreting the p…