Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Hello everyone! I hope you had a great holiday and an excellent start to 2012! Although it's supposed to be the end of mankind in a mere 11 months, I must say that it's been an auspicious start. I can't wait to see what happens this year!
So, I finished both of these books quickly while on my break from school. I've already posted a review about the first five books, but as I already mentioned, I picked these two up after an almost seven year hiatus. I absolutely loved both of them.
I know I probably approached this whole series, especially the conclusion, incorrectly. I took almost all of the mystery out of the books. I saw The Half-Blood Prince on HBO over the summer and was fairly underwhelmed. Seeing the movie probably delayed my finishing the series earlier. I will say that I enjoyed the movie much more after reading the book, though. The penultimate novel in the series mostly deals with Harry learning about Voldemort's past, and most of it had to be left out of the movie. However, knowing the extended back story helped me appreciate the elements that were preserved in the movie.
The interesting part of this series is that I actually liked the sixth book more after reading The Deathly Hallows. I appreciated how important Snape was, and really understood what an awesome character Rowling created. I would argue that Snape is the best character in the entire series. If you decide to read this, it doesn't become apparent until near the end, but he's actually become one of my favorite characters ever, not just in the Harry Potter books. While the conflict between Harry and Voldemort takes center stage, Snape's revealed role in all of it is poignant without being a club to the head, and was revealed gradually throughout the series. It's clear that Rowling knew how this whole series would end before it did, and her writing to achieve such an amazing conclusion should be discussed more. Of course, I can't discuss it here because I don't want to give it away. But, if you would like to have a conversation about it, leave a comment!
Because it's so late in the series, I don't want to spend any time reviewing any of the plot. Really, just read them. As a former literary snob, this series will make you remember how much fun reading can be, and when it's done well, how much it can teach you about yourself. I spent years thinking this was essentially a children's book. While it does not contain the literary content of something like a Joyce or Tolstoy novel, the story is fantastic with a clear sense of voice, a complicated story line, and incredible characterization.
Just like everyone else, I was sad to let Harry and the gang move on to finer literary pastures. It would be great to continue reading, but just like a Friends reunion show, continuing after such a strong ending and regular season, so to speak, inevitably taints the series if the sequel isn't extraordinary.
All I can say is that I hope I can share these books with my children some day. Provided, of course, that they aren't literary snobs too.
