The post this came from is full of alarming weather-related happenings, but none as awe-inspiring as this:
–Waves as high as 70 feet are reported off the North Oregon coast, and, says KOMO, “the weather buoy off the Columbia Bar become ripped from its tether and is now adrift in the Pacific.” [From Mega Rainstorm All Up in Our Shit]
70 feet?
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“Do you feel lucky, punk?”
Hm. Clint Eastwood would make one badass Auror, now that I think about it.
Not only were all the major players from England, they were all from Gryffindor’s hometown. That bit rung a bit false, but I guess it’s typical of fiction to tie initially distinct events back to Where It All Began.
There was a lot of content I just didn’t bother reading; I think 770 pages was more than was needed here. Every time they switched to quoting an entire Skeeter article I just skipped to the end, for instance. I may go back and read those, but I’m not sure it will add anything.
Stuff I think JKR nailed:
* Harry’s sacrifice. The leadup to the decision, the inexorable logic, his attitude about it, all of it well-done. Although I thought the “big reveal” that Dumbledore planned to let Harry die wasn’t really well-done. The implications were wrong, especially since Dumbledore had already all but told Harry exactly that.
* Neville playing Hogwarts Hero in HP’s absence, and being the one to off the snake.
* Dumbledore’s imperfections. I think she did a good job of explaining his manipulativeness while still keeping him sympathetic. I agree that his family appeared awful sudden-like, though.
Stuff I wasn’t so happy about:
* Snape. He turned out to be a whiny stalker. I guess it’s in vogue to do this with villains (I’m looking at you, George Lucas), but if I were Harry I wouldn’t have named my son for him. I’m not sure “brave” is the right word, either.
Incidentally, your complaint about the Pensieve was my reaction the first time it showed up. Should totally be a first-person POV thing. But then it’d have been difficult for Harry and Dumbledore to have a conversation with each other while both experiencing a memory.
* Harry Potter casting Crucio. At anyone, at any time, for any reason. That’s just wrong. And McGonnagall calls it “gallant” behavior?!
* Harry Potter casting Imperio is also disturbing, but at least it was pretty much necessitated by the situation. Still, in neither case did he show what I consider the proper remorse over casting an Unforgivable Curse.
* Hermione. Her brain came in handy at times, but she was far too passive on the run with the boys, and especially after Ron left. And torturing her didn’t really seem to be dramatically necessary.
* Ron. His dthickheadedness was totally out of character, horcrux or no. Especially after we went through this already; he should have been over that shite by now.
* Ron and Hermione. I know that the books have generally avoided dwelling on the romantic involvements, but with all that time spent on the three in exile I would have expected more about Harry feeling a third wheel because of R&H’s growing relationship.
* Actually, the book spent far too much time dwelling on the big three’s time in exile. I understand that JKR wanted us to experience the sense of isolation, but I think it was overdone.
* Of all the secondary characters that were killed, the only one who gets an “on-camera” funeral is Dobby? Seriously? Dobby?
* The epilogue. I would have preferred something a little closer in time to the climax, and not all tied up in such a pretty package. But I can forgive it for the latter since it is, after all, a children’s book…
Oh, I should mention that overall I was quite satisified with the way the series ended, despite my complaints above.
Also, your poll thing is broken.
eh? did you vote in the poll? I have 2 votes, 1 more than I had this morning.
And I think your explications/insights mirror my own. The trio on the run could have been cut down or made more interesting (maybe go somewhere other than England? I mean, how hard can it be track something who probably leaves a footprint like a Black Hole distorts gravity?).
And don’t forget Mad-Eye and, more traumatic for my 11-year-old, Hedwig.
Yeah, those were so early, I didn’t think they could be the ones referred to. I felt bad for old Hedwig as well. Isn’t there a spell to dissolve cages? Relashio or whatever they used to free the dragon?
And where did Neville get the sword? Last I saw it, Griphook was running off with it. Then Longbottom pulls it out of the Sorting Hat: if he used the copy, it shouldn’t have worked in a real magical world (I would expect it to shatter or something).
As for the use of Crucio by HP, I was glad to finally see him lose his temper effectively (“You have to mean the curses” as a soon to be offed character said in book V). The Unforgivable Curses are what they are, but I doubt the recipient would have balked at using that or worse on anyone.
I was hung up on Neville and the sword, as well, and can think of two reasonable explanations, neither of which I recall being in the book (my copy is in Sarasota, so I can’t check): 1) That goblins were explicitly among the allied groups of “inferior creatures” that participate in the ultimate battle, or 2) That the counterfeit sword gets treated with the horcrux-destroying substance Hermione and Ron show up with (and who discovered it?).
I can check, since my copy is in t’other room. I hate to rain on Neville’s parade, of course: nice to see him get a chance to shine.
Mystery solved: my local Potter expert reminds me that in Book II, the end hinges on the fact that a true Gryffindor can always summon the sword of the founder of their house. HP did in that book, and Longbottom in VII.
I suppose at some point I should read the Thoroughly spoiled Harry Potter thread and see what those nabobs make of it.
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