Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS (HARRY POTTER #7)

‚Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?‘

This was my 100th review on Goodreads, and I always wanted to write it about this one. About the last one, the one that explains it all. Or at least, almost all of it, because we still don’t get to know what became of Ludo Bagman. Or if Gilderoy Lockhart ever regained his memory. Or if Oliver Wood ever made top of the league with Pride of Portree. But you know, you can’t have everything.

This is the book about the Golden Trio. For big parts of it, we are alone with them, three teenies in a tent who are the only ones with the knowledge of how to kill the most evil wizard of all time. They’re alone, they almost always have no clues, no food, no allies, and they have no idea if the people they love are okay or even still alive. So people, don’t judge Ron. I’d like to see how you behave if you have no idea whether your family is still alive, and are wearing a piece of Voldemort’s soul around your neck.

‚He must have known I’d want to leave you.‘
‚No, he must have known you would always want to come back.‘

This is also the book about Dumbledore and, as we only realise at the end, about Snape. We get to know their life stories, just like we got to know Voldy’s in ‚Half-Blood Prince‘.And most of all, it’s about Harry. About his thoughts, his motivations, his faults. About his mistakes, his extraordinary selflessness and shining cleverness. For it’s not like we see it in most of the movies. It’s not Hermione who always figures everything out. No, it’s Harry. Hermione has the book knowledge, Ron has the word knowledge, but Harry is the one who figures all of it out. Because he trusts his gut and his instincts, which are almost always right. Plus, he finally gets to curse Umbridge.

‚I’m going to keep going until I succeed — or die. Don’t think I don’t know how this might end. I’ve known it for years.‘

Obviously, people are dieing in this one, but it’s war, and I get why Rowling chose to kill the ones who died. I also love that final duel, the sheer beyond-everything-ever-before-epicness of it, something which in my opinion was a total catastrophe in the movie. As for the epilogue, well. I never felt it was too cheesy or something, but come on, Harry, why would you name your son after Dumbledore and Snape? Dumbledore manipulated you and was willing to sacrifice you, and Snape was still a total asshole. What about Hagrid? Lupin? That’s people who would’ve deserved for you to name a child after them. Okay, so not Lupin cause it’d be strange for Teddy. Take Hagrid, then. Or Grawp. Or take Dobby. Oh, Dobby.

This is the final book we deserved, with an epic ending and all of the characters at their best. Rowling had to fulfill such high expectations, I mean, I remember how everyone was waiting for this one. ‚Winds of Winter‘ is nothing compared to this. People used to run into bookstores in the middle of the night to get their hands on this one as fast as possible. I remember reading it that same day, without eating anything until I’d finished it. It took me eight hours, and it didn’t disappoint me at any point.

‚Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.‘

To me, this is the perfect ending to the best series there ever was. Rowling has made a whole generation into readers with this series, and this is the worthy coronation. It’s beyond competition. There’s so much happening, so many threats, so many climaxes, so much heartbreak and so much love. 5 stars.

And Lockhart and Bagman? Read my fanfic, they’re in it. (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12647504/1/Harry-Potter-and-the-Heritage-of-the-Snake)