TMP's Deathly Hallows Review!

[themostepotente]

Deathly Hallows Review

So yeah, I promised a Deathly Hallows review last week. I have to be quite honest here. While there were bits and pieces of DH I loved, overall I didn't care much for this book. But then I wasn't crazy about Half-Blood Prince either. I haven't thoroughly enjoyed a Harry Potter book since Order of the Phoenix. There were just too many flaws in this book and too many Tolkien similarities that made me roll my eyes. Below are some subjects and my thoughts on them.

All Things Snape

Snape's death really bothered me. Mostly because it was lame in the same way that Kirk's second death in 'Star Trek: Generations' was lame. Here, you have this legendary captain, and how does he die fighting Soren? A fucking wrought iron bridge falls on him and crushes him. Snape getting bit and poisoned by Nagini was just as lame to me. Totally not a warrior's death. And okay, the man's a God when it comes to potions. He doesn't carry one fucking antivenin on him? Snape deserved better and that's all I'm saying. He's the true hero of the book, after all.

I did enjoy reading about young Snape. Poor woobie with his jeans and his smock-type blouse and oversized coat. Did you not want to pick him up, feed him ice cream and hug the stuffin' out of him? His being in love with Lily didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Though let's face it, I would have preferred him being in love with James. Shameless Snape/James shipper here. But seriously, The Prince's Tale was one of the few chapters that really moved me. This poor man did not have a shred of happiness in his life, and that kinda put the ol' squeeze-a-roo on my heart. I did walk out of this book loving Snape even more if that's possible. Oh, Snapey, I do weep for thee.

Another point I didn't like was that Snape's body was just left there. The man had no funeral service or words spoken about him. What's that us Snape fans say? No funeral. No body. No death.

Not nearly enough Snapeage to satisfy me.

Book Deaths

While we are on the subject of death, I thought I'd touch upon the other deaths of the book. While I'm totally not opposed to death and destruction, I got the 'Ooh, I think I'll play G.R.R Martin and prove to the world I can be just as cold hearted with my characters' lives.' Now while this works beautifully for Martin, this approach does not suit Rowling. I'm picturing Rowling with a bulletin board and a pack of thumbtacks randomly choosing whom to kill.

Mad Eye Moody - Moody's death really didn't bother me, but I always liked him as a character, and nobody likes to see characters they like die.

Fred Weasley - I've never been the hugest twins fan, but Fred's death did bother me. Frankly, Charlie should have been the one to bite it. He's just such a pointless Weasley to me. Fred's death was just shock value and unnecessary. And of course, Ginny is right up there with Charlie whom I wish would die a flaming Viking death.

gmth dear, you get BONUS points for 'And Let You Go' :-)

Remus Lupin - Totally utterly pointless. Was it really necessary to kill off EVERY FUCKING MARAUDER? And what point was there to him marrying and knocking up Tonks? What's more it wasn't even detailed how he fell. Was he killed with silver? Lupin deserved more than he was given that's for sure.

Peter Pettigrew - Now here's a man who deserved to die, but choking himself was just laughable to me. Especially as a means of repaying his life debt. He should have taken the Samurai route and stuck himself: P

Dobby - Goodbye to the token annoying Jar Jar Binks of the book series. Harry acted so ridiculous where Dobby was concerned, it was unbelievable. Hedwig wasn't as bad, but I got the impression Harry was more distraught over his owl than Lupin and Tonks. Bad. Bad. Bad.

Nymphadora Tonks - I neither liked nor disliked Tonks, but I was a bit irritated that Tonks, Lupin and Ted all had to die. Andromeda should be a fucking basket case after losing the three of them. And again here, how did Tonks die? These are things I want to know, man.

Bellatrix Lestrange - I was really rather disappointed that Molly was the one to take Bellatrix down. Bella should have died at Neville's hands. Either way, the bitch had to go. End of story.

Voldy - What can I say here? It was inevitable from book one. Of course, realistically speaking, nothing stays quiet forever, and some new Dark Lord will replace Voldemort. Lucius, anyone?

And of course there were other deaths like Scrimgeour, Creevey and Crabbe, and I could give a fuck about any of them. Just casualties of war to try and make the big picture seem grimmer.

Bits and Bobs I Didn't Like

1.) The middle of the book just dragged the fuck on. Enough with the Boy Scout campouts already.

2.) Not enough Snape.

3.) Hagrid still alive at the end.

4.) Lupin's OOCness. Anyone else have a hard time with his trying to shirk his responsibilities as husband and father?

5.) The strong Tolkien influence. When Harry and Ron were wearing Slytherin's locket, and it was making them behave oddly? Dude, that was just Frodo and fucking Sam and The One Ring. And the eye in the locket? *coughssauroncoughs*

6.) Harry forgiving Snape so easily. After six years of intense hatred? I don't think so, Jo. Angst, baby, angst.

7.) Just leaving poor Snape there.


Bits and Bobs I Did Like

1.) Kreacher. Talk about a complete 180. And I loved that he loved Regulus.

2.) Regulus. Well, I think we all knew that R.A.B. was Regulus, but it was nice to have that confirmation. And oh, the Inferi pulled my poor woobie down into the lake. I've always loved Regulus even though we never knew jack shit about him. But this just makes me love him even more.

3.) Luna Lovegood. Luna never really made much of an impression on me when I first read OotP, but after the last movie and now the last book, I do loves me some Luna.

4.) Neville Longbottom. Not a character you would really expect me to love, but oh, how I do. You shined, m'boy. And, psst, I'm all over the Neville/Luna ship.

5.) Ron and Hermione together. I've been a cheerleader of theirs from the get go. Probably one of the only canon ships I fully support.

6.) Narcissa Malfoy. She helped Harry, and that just intensified my love for Cissa. It may have been more to her benefit, but so the fuck what?

7.) The Malfoys being a loving family. Kind of a departure for me as I love ebil Lucius, but it was nice to see them portrayed in anything but a psychotic light.

8.) Lucius patting Snape on the back when Snape was first sorted into Slytherin. SNUCIUS!

9.) Wee mismatched Snape. It deserves another mention.

10.) THE HARRY/DRACO!!!! OMG, the broom ride! The Elder Wand! Draco's reluctance to identify Harry! Yes, yes - a thousand times yes! *G*


The Epilogue

A show of hands, please. Who did like the epilogue? Anyone? Anyone? Might I just be the millionth person to say how much I hated the fucking epilogue? What utter rot! Straight off of FF.net. I might have been okay with the book otherwise, but UGH, so so BAD. I mean, WTF, Draco with a receding hairline? When magic could so easily remedy this? I don't see this AT ALL. Malfoys are too vain. And why was it so important for her to name Ginny when Draco's wife went unnamed? And Scorpius was a Farscape ripoff.

New Ships

Albus Severus/Scorpius, Dumbledore/Grindelwald, and Neville/Luna!

My two Sickles as always…

--P

Comments

[kagyakusha.livejournal.com]

thank you thank you thank you.
I was starting to feel so alone

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Heh. On which point?

[kagyakusha.livejournal.com]

mainly the flaws and tolkien similarities. but I agreed on a lot of other points as well

[cnary-crem-dght.livejournal.com]

Definitely not enough snapage and I second the Snape/James wish. <3 The snucious she is almost canon! huzzah.

[nehalenia.livejournal.com]

Wow, very similar to my own thoughts, especially about Snape. I really did like Dobby's death, tho -- I couldn't believe I was crying over it, because the character was so annoying; but the death, the DEATH was great! It's like JKR totally shot her wad on Dobby and had nothing left to give the other folks who died. Sigh.

Everything you said about Snape -- absolutely, right on, 100%. I don't have a maternal bone in my body and I wanted to pick that poor little kid up and run away with him. JKR didn't give him *any* breaks at all. The Lily love doesn't bother me either, mostly because I don't really see it as sexual. But then I think Snape's bi anyway, so no biggie. Also, I think the Lily-Severus relationship had to be about alot more than hormones, or Snape's love wouldn't have lasted so long.

As for Neville/Luna, even JKR started to see the light!

Great review!

[ariadneelda.livejournal.com]

The Prince's Tale was my favourite chapter. I didn't mind the Snape/Lily either, and I thought I'd hate it. But especially liked the Snape-Dumbledore parts.

I was never interested in Neville pairings but after DH I think I want to read Headmaster!Snape/Neville fics. :P

JKR said in that web chat that Lupin was killed by Dolohov (they were duelling the last time we saw Lupin alive, I think) and Tonks by Bellatrix. Of course, knowing how consistent JKR is, she may forget it and say something else tomorrow.

[its-art.livejournal.com]

As a big fan of both Remus and Tonks (but not together), I've gotta say MADE OF FAIL, JO. If she's too lazy to put it in the books, I don't give a crap if she says how they died in interviews.

(But I am a little happy they were killed by different people, thus maybe putting to rest the idea they "died in each other's arms" or some rot like that).

[scarah2.livejournal.com]

Though let's face it, I would have preferred him being in love with James. Shameless Snape/James shipper here.

Consider this question very carefully: Who had the deer first?

[arethinn]

My brain tells me Lily, but I'm not good at logic puzzles. Care to elaborate? *genuine curiosity*

[scarah2.livejournal.com]

Well, the truth is that we don't know. What we do know are these things:

- Out of the characters who are able to both assume an animagus form and generate a Patronus, we have only seen one do so. It was McGonagall and both her animagus and Patronus took the same form.

- While it's established that a character's Patronus can change, there's nothing to suggest that their animagus form can. There is nothing to negate this either, but we have no precedent for it.

- James became an animagus during his fifth year. No one notes his form ever having changed.

- As we know from Harry's OWLs, it is unusual for fifth year students to be able to produce a corporeal Patronus yet.

Therefore, while anything is certainly still possible, it begins to look like the chain of Patronuses may have gone like: James -> Lily -> Snape. Which is lolarious because Snape ended up with the female counterpart of James'.

[red_squared]

Though let's face it, I would have preferred him being in love with James.

Oh,

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<i>Though let's face it, I would have preferred him being in love with James.</i>

Oh, <a href"http://comtesse-sin.livejournal.com/58630.html?thread=579590#t579590"><b>he totally was</b></a>!

<i>nd oh, the Inferi pulled my poor woobie down into the lake.</i>

This was the only bit of the book that got to me, actually. Poor Regulus :(

[akayalovesyaoi.livejournal.com]

I can agree on lots of points stated here, but I've already written it in my journal and I'm too lazy to do it here, but I need to say this.

1. Why the fuck did Ginny survive.
2. Why did Voldemort died, I wanted him to live.
3. The brilliant epilogue =_=

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

1. Why the fuck did Ginny survive.

To be the breeder of Harry-spawn, of course. What other future did the poor girl have?

[akayalovesyaoi.livejournal.com]

-_- I think that's actually the only purpose for her to even be in this book, but I still don't like it. I wanted her dead I wanted harry to be dead too

[r-grayjoy.livejournal.com]

Re: Kirk's death... Dude. Some great hero's death! He went out as an old man leaping for the remote control! Lame...

Nope, not going to go into a lengthy diatribe about DH. Just ran by to make a totally random comment. :D

[its-art.livejournal.com]

I find it ironic... 'cause didn't they refilm the death of Kirk because the viewers were outraged over his original death? (I think he was shot or somethin').

[its-art.livejournal.com]

What's that us Snape fans say? No funeral. No body. No death.

Sounds like Sirius fan circa OotP *whimper*

I basically agree with most of the points you brought up. I've developed a grudging respect for the book over the last week or so, but it's still near the bottom of the heap when it comes to HP books for me (but NOTHING will be the loathing I had for HBP).

I've met maybe two-three people who actually liked the epilogue.... Hell if I know why. The rest are like "Epilogue? What Epilogue". I am firmly in that camp.

[mad_maudlin]

In re Lupin and Tonks: JKR said in a recent interview that Arthur Weasley was originally supposed to die in OotP, but she couldn't make herself do it. Nevertheless, she wanted somebody's dad to die in order to be a thematic parallel to Harry's loss of his parents. Therefore, I conclude that the entire Lupin/Tonks relationship was pastede on yey, in order for her to satisfy a thematic itch by knocking them off at a dramatic juncture.

[amorettea.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes and YES!!!! I was disappointed in DH. I have been depressed for a number of reasons lately but I think the sheer not impressededness by DH had something to do with it. That camping filler in the middle and the epilogue. . .ugh.

Snape LIVES!

[summerborn.livejournal.com]

Fantastic summary. I totally agree that I love the way the Malfoys came out of this one (especially Narcissa!)

here via link

[britclash.livejournal.com]

re: pointless deaths - I don't know. It depends on the individual reader's perspective whether the approach suits her, but I bought them. They drummed the point home that wartime death is inherently pointless. I was surprised at her restraint, actually. She would have been even more gutsy in showing this if she'd killed off Ron, Hermione or Neville. Not that I wanted her to...*clutches them* And seeing Lupin in the forest with the others was awfully poignant. :(((

I also loved Kreacher's development. So, so much. <3

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

Frankly, Charlie should have been the one to bite it. He's just such a pointless Weasley to me.

Um, was he even *there*? I can't remember! I think he was in Romania screwing Krum while the fighting was going on. And Yes!Neville.

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I said pretty much the same thing. Weak, weak book. And the retread of the LOTR thing? I expected to turn the page and read, "Mr. Frodo, you haven't eaten anything today." Agree also completely on the OCC-isn-ness of Remus. It's like where did she pull this out of. Didn't make sense and then didn't go anywhere to make sense.

[nwhiker.livejournal.com]

One good thing about the epilogue: we know Harry has a son whose initials are ASP. Slytherin, please? I mean, how not with those initials?

Pretty much everything you said, especially about poor little Snape. He broke my heart that one. The other thing that made me cry... maybe it was me, but I'd always thought, somehow, that Dumbledore liked and respected Snape, that they had something like... friendship. I don't see that portrayed here and it just hurts. That he spent all of his life, from the day he called Lily a mudblood to the day he died with absolutely no love. How could he not be unpleasant? The utter loneliness of his life...

Not only did it piss me off that she killed him off that way, that no one bothered with his body... but did she have to kill him off in the Shrieking Shack? The place where everything fell apart for him, as a student? Nasty.

I also found it hard that both Snape and Dumbledore followed parallel paths: their descent into total evil halted by the death of a deeply loved person, and Dumbledore, by chance, and perhaps because he was handsome, had twinkly blue eyes etc, became the beloved Headmaster, whereas Snape, ugly greasy disagreeable git that he was, was loathed by... pretty much everyone. Including Dumbledore, who should know better.

Anyhow. Back to lurking....

[corvus-coronis.livejournal.com]

"7.) Just leaving poor Snape there." - you have no idea how much that turned me into a raving, slavering, quasi-vindicvtive mess for a couple of days... apparently, in that Bloomsbury char JKR mentioned Harry arranging for his Portrait (so there goes the vampire getaway :-/), but yeah, the whole bloodbath at the end, skip over the mourning bit, have a party in the Headmaster's office, then on to the Epilogue. Um, yeah... where's the closure?

[maelwaedd.livejournal.com]

Brilliant!
So much love for you. :)

[moshi.livejournal.com]

Though let's face it, I would have preferred him being in love with James. Shameless Snape/James shipper here.

Haha! I agree with this. :D

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

While I'm totally not opposed to death and destruction, I got the 'Ooh, I think I'll play G.R.R Martin and prove to the world I can be just as cold hearted with my characters' lives.' Now while this works beautifully for Martin, this approach does not suit Rowling. I'm picturing Rowling with a bulletin board and a pack of thumbtacks randomly choosing whom to kill.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly.

[lyonette.livejournal.com]

Was it really necessary to kill off EVERY FUCKING MARAUDER?

That was one thing I saw coming - she needed the older generation out of the way to be able to start a whole new one. I was kind of disappointed to see Lily instead of Wormtail in the Forbidden Forest-scene - I get why Harry should have his mum with him, but this was the ideal place for Wormy to redeem himself, after his extremely disappointing death.

Hagrid still alive at the end

Oh, word, worditty, word! I was waiting to see him go down from the 7 Potters chapter, but he kept turning up. Apparently, nothing can kill a half-giant.

[nanomandrina.livejournal.com]

So... I liked TDH. BUT I will say that all I REALLY cared about was the Malfoys. And all of us Lucius/ Narcissa shippers got the best cookies out of everyone. We got hand holding and lying to the the Dark Lord's face; so I couldn't have been much happier if no one else had died either. Yes- the epilogue was lame and YES, Draco would fix that hair issue before anyone saw it and YES, Ginny should be dead, but Harry had to reproduce little potter-lets and it would have been difficult to forgive JK for letting him shag anyone BUT his best friend's sister. And I do agree that there was carnage beyond that which was necessary, but there would be less drama if there hadn't been so many deaths.

At least we got happily married Malfoys- which was all I was after.