Is there a more anticipated book by the majority of people this year? (Sure dan brown has a new book coming out but most people who read the davinci code probably don't even know)

I have been a harry potter fan since the release of chamber of secrets, i bought on its release date and the first book same day and read them in about 3 days on my facation...as soeone who has never stopped reading the types of books i read as a kid (Susan Coooper, Lloyd Alexander, David Eddings, if you don't know who they are i'm sorry) i am in awe of these books as even with their popularity i find them incredible 'kids' books.

I didn't really know where to suggest a possible ending for this book but here it goes. If I were Rowling, I'd end the series by having Harry Potter not die, but end up in the muggles world without his powers - a person who has learned alot but grown up into adulthood able to hold his own in the real world.

I know Rowling goes dark, but I don't think she goes that dark, i expect the book to end relatively happy with all 3 ron, hermione, and harry scarred greatly and at least 2 of them (harry and hremione) going back to hogwarts to teach possibly.

I would prefer an open ended ending because I hope Rowling will realize that the world she's set up if RIFE with story possbilities

I've, uh, read the first five chapters.

It's pretty dark so far.

Here is the Metacritic page for Deathly Hallows. Very good reviews thus far!

Has anyone finished? Other than me?

Yes, I finished it as soon as I could, which was about 6:30 AM of the 21st. As an individual book, I would rate it an 8.5 or a 9 out of 10, but as a closing to the series, a way of bringing together thousands of pages worth of obscure references and red herrings into one book, it is perfect. Given the circumstances, it is one of the most perfect things I have ever read.

I thought it was the best of the books, and one of the better books I have read. I thought it was marred by the completely trite and crowd-pleasing ending, though. (Epilogue part)

I enjoyed it a great deal. Unlike Sini, I rather liked the epilogue. I found it moving and credible. I think it also closes the series effectively, while leaving open the door for Rowling or others to continue to explore her alternative universe.

I've never been a big fan of Rowling's writing style. Even as her books "grew up," her style remained fairly immature. She has some lovely descriptions, but her language is never literary or beautiful. The style reamins a "children's book" style. As Sini pointed out, while he was reading the book, someone is always "squeaking" or "squealing."

However, as far as plotting and character goes, I think she matured enormously, and nowhere more than in the character of Snape. In the three parallel arcs (Dumbledore, Potter, Snape), it is Snape who undergoes the greatest reversals. Our insight into his character, which began in book six, really blossoms in this book, despite the fact that he is "offstage" for most of the book.

Quick plot question though, and I may have simply missed it since I was reading late into the night. When Harry gives Neville Cedric's sword, how did he get it back? When they broke into Gringotts, didn't the Goblin have the sword while Harry, Ron and Hermione escaped on the dragon?

quote:

Originally posted by kendocubano:
Quick plot question though, and I may have simply missed it since I was reading late into the night. When Harry gives Neville Cedric's sword, how did he get it back? When they broke into Gringotts, didn't the Goblin have the sword while Harry, Ron and Hermione escaped on the dragon?

I had the same question and after thinking about it figured it out.

Neville got the sword the same way Harry did in The Chamber of Secrets. Remember that Voldermort put the sorting hat on his head? Remember when Harry got Griffindor's sword from the sorting hat? Dumbledore explained to Harry that only a true Griffindor could get the sword from the hat. Neville is a true Griffindor and that's how he got it. Harry did not give Neville the sword

quote:

Originally posted by MrRandomGuy:
I had the same question and after thinking about it figured it out.

Neville got the sword the same way Harry did in The Chamber of Secrets. Remember that Voldermort put the sorting hat on his head? Remember when Harry got Griffindor's sword from the sorting hat? Dumbledore explained to Harry that only a true Griffindor could get the sword from the hat. Neville is a true Griffindor and that's how he got it. Harry did not give Neville the sword

Ok, I'll buy that. Seems like a bit of deus ex machina, but Rowling has never been above a bit of that!

quote:

Originally posted by kendocubano:

quote:

Originally posted by MrRandomGuy:
I had the same question and after thinking about it figured it out.

Neville got the sword the same way Harry did in The Chamber of Secrets. Remember that Voldermort put the sorting hat on his head? Remember when Harry got Griffindor's sword from the sorting hat? Dumbledore explained to Harry that only a true Griffindor could get the sword from the hat. Neville is a true Griffindor and that's how he got it. Harry did not give Neville the sword

Ok, I'll buy that. Seems like a bit of deus ex machina, but Rowling has never been above a bit of that!

Yeah. I didn't even know it was that particular item until I finished the book and thought Well, all the mysteries are revealed...but how did Neville kill the snake? Something came out of the sorting hat? Oh!

Just finished it, great book.

someone tell me how it ends, send me a message or something!

You mean you really want to know who dies and who lives, and for how long?

quote:

Originally posted by Blswylde:
someone tell me how it ends, send me a message or something!

C'mon. You don't really want to be told! Read the book! It's a pretty satisfying ending, that will seem appropriate and inevitable by the time you finish reading it, but will seem wan and dull if you're just told.

I echo k/c. Really. Read the book.

if you have questions about all of the trippy stuff she did in the ending (especially the neville thing and other things) go here.
except you who have not read it yet. don't go here. thats just dumb.

and i agree with sin. i absolutely loved the book except for the epilogue . and when certain endings came, i wasn't surprised i knew. that sort of inevitable thing ken talked about.

found an article that mirrored my feelings about the epilogue.

from the article
"didn't the epilogue read to you as a perfect seven-page treatment for the pilot of Hogwarts: The Next Generation, airing at 5:30 weekdays on The N?"

Great links, Friar. Especially the discussion forum. I read the book pretty quickly, and found a few plot holes and discrepancies. Leave it to the truly obsessed at that Mugglenet site, though, to go through with a fine toothed comb and find every little nit to pick. Wow! Kind of fascinating in an anthropologicalsociological way.