Goodbye Harry Potter: "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows" Review (Spoilers)

[matt_zimmer]

Goodbye Harry Potter: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

It's a solid ending, and a real crowdpleaser. Exciting, with real life and death stakes all throughout, not just the climax. Hedwig's death meant no-one was safe, including shockingly, Dobby the House-Elf or Fred Weasley. The Battle of Hogwarts, The Prince's Tale, and The Flaw In The Plan feel like good wrap-up chapters.

And I love that the climax is done in front of the whole school and everyone is involved. So a perfect ending, no?

No. I am unsatisfied.

No firm consequences for the Malfoys and Umbridge are bad enough. I also was extremely disappointed in the lack of either drama or resolution with Harry's goodbye with the Dursleys. But it's Snape's ending that rankles me most of all.

Don't misunderstand me. The Prince's Tale explains EVERYTHING (and as far as the curse against George Weasley went, more than it needed to) and the revelations of his love for Lily give added context to Petunia's comments about "That nasty boy coming around" in the fifth book, as well as the true reason Snape's Worst Memory is the worst. It's also effective for making the reader fully believe his remorse over Voldemort killing the Potters is genuine. And yet.. And yet...

Where is the final confrontation between him and Harry? Why couldn't they has all this out in person, and either come to an understanding, or at least be HONEST with each other that this whole feud is fucking stupid and counterproductive? Harry is also denied similar catharsis with Draco Malfoy, and while I LOVE that the climax is "All Talk" (which the movie version wrecks) I think Voldemort was not the ONLY enemy of Harry's he needed to have it out with. Rowling HATES Snape, but she expects Snape fans to be happy Harry named his son after him. Without actual catharsis, it doesn't hit me as hard as it should.

But still, how awesome is The Prince's Tale? I got a lump in my throat a couple of times, and it's the only place in the book series I did. "Always." Sniff.

Another thing I don't like is the Imperiused Stan Shunpike. Stan's release from Azkaban was one of Harry's sticking points for refusing to work with the Ministry in the last book, and if it turns out he's working with the Death Eaters after all, Harry looks like kind of a dumbass for it in hindsight.

Ron is an asshole during a large portion of the book (which is on-brand for him, honestly) but him hugging Harry like a brother upon his return was a big moment. I also love Hermione punching every inch of him. The idea that she crossed her arms and legs and didn't look like she'd uncross them for years was a surprisingly saucy observation.

The Godric's Hollow chapter is both moving and spooky.

Voldemort sucks throughout the book, and the best demonstration is during the flashback of him killing the Potters, and him being tempted to kill a Muggle child on Halloween, but putting the wand away because it was "Unnecessary. Most unnecessary." The level of sociopathy of the character is easily demonstrated just by that. He's actually tempted. He sucks.

Harry telling off Lupin for being a shitty father and husband was great, but I really wish Rowling hadn't had Harry immediately second-guess it after he stormed out. I would have respected Harry more if he hadn't, and told Ron and Hermione to fuck off for their protestations after the fact. Lupin is weak.

"Severus Snape was never yours," is not just the most memorable line of the book. It's my favorite too. I guess I accepted Snape being done so dirty back in the day because at least Harry publicly exonerated him in front of everyone. God, seeing how much the teachers now loathe him is heartbreaking on some level. Despite me wishing for a better ending to Harry and Snape's feud, Harry publicly telling everyone who mattered that Snape was a good guy and on Dumbledore's side was a decent consolation prize.

Luna's parts in the book were good (I love the positive impression she made on Ollivander and her friend mural was excellent too) but her father is a turd.

Neville is a force of nature in the book, which pisses me off that Rowling gave him the last name Longbottom in the first book. You can only be SO badass with that last name. There's a reason a dude named Jason Statham is an action star, and a guy named Corey Statham is not. For badasses, the name is a huge part of it.

And yeah, Ollivander's small part was good especially Harry remembering why he didn't exactly like him.

It's amusing, maddening, and ballsy that Harry kills Voldemort only by use of a legal technicality involving The Elder Wand. Harry wins because he is technically correct, which is the best kind of correct.

It's Rowling though. Any problems?

A few. But fewer than most of the other books. The worst thing is the portrayal of Griphook and the Goblins. There is definite Antisemitism attached to their characters and gimmicks. Still Bill Weasley's perspective of them is kind of interesting, even if the goblins themselves are kind of offensive.

But truly the thing I hate most is the moral of Kreacher. Rowling concludes slavery is all right, so long as you are NICE to the slaves.

Yeah, Rowling did NOT think this thing through. Or if she did, she's an idiot.

And Umbridge escaping the book without consequences especially rankles. I don't give a shit that Rowling wrote essays on Pottermore stating she went to Azkaban. Rowling lets far too many villains in her saga get off Scot-free in the books themselves, and having that happen to UMBRIDGE of all people is fucking inexcusable.

I also agree with both Harry and Ron's rage that Dumbledore left them with almost no information of how to accomplish their goal. Them getting to the right answers anyways was pure luck. Dumbledore's excuses as to WHY he made it hard in the King's Cross chapter don't hold an ounce of water. This was bad writing on Rowling's end.

Speaking of which, saying Colin Creevey "was tiny in death" is the prose of a pure hack. As was the final sentence of a seven book series being "All was well." For real. Rowling shows some major prose skills in both The Prince's Tale and The Flaw In The Plan. But shit like that is inexcusable, especially this late in the game.

The 19 Years Later Epilogue in and of itself is an utterly underwhelming conclusion, but it DID make a good jumping off point for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child. I'll give it that.

People are gonna cry retcon about both Grindelwald's importance and the Invisibility Cloak's significance as a Death Hallow. I agree the Cloak is a pure retcon, but Grindelwald being mentioned ONCE in the first book, and this whole huge backstory being held off until the last book is very much how Rowling operates. I found it a perfectly fair twist.

I loved the book back when I first read it. Now? I want more. A LOT more. It's a great book, and maybe I should judge it more on what it is than what it isn't. But that doesn't stop me from being annoyed Harry is not allowed a final blow-out with Snape. It had been building for six books and to never get it feels wrong. ****1/2.