HP7

Alrighty, after many months of publicity, eager waiting, and not to mention those leaks all over the internet, the final chapter in the multi-billion dollar Harry Potter saga is out! I dove right into it after queuing up for what seemed like 20 mins, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

***SPOILERS AHEAD*** (Highlight the area if you want to read it)
The story picks up just after the events of HBP and is generally less formulaic than previous books since Harry, Ron and Hermione will not be returning to school for their final year. Oh yeah, there's Bill and Fleur's wedding thrown into the mix... as well as the escalating violence and threats posed by Voldemort & Co. But it's all good, since this translates into more action. The siege of Hogwarts at the end is great stuff, with giants, death eaters and huge spiders attacking the defenders of Hogwarts. And yeah, our heroes try to rob a bank too and end up doing lots of damage with a dragon.

If there's anything to nitpick at, I'd have to say that Rowling seemed to have borrowed quite a few ideas from pop culture, e.g. the quest for the horcuxes/hallows = the quest for the One Ring in LOTR; Harry being the Chosen One = Luke Skywalker; retrieving the sword of Gryffindor from a pond = Arthurian legend; the Battle of Hogwarts = the siege of Minas Tirith. But you know what, I think I'd acquit Rowling for all that because she really went all-out this time, and we get to see different sides to characters we previously thought were static and one-dimensional. Take Dumbledore for instance: he turns out to be less than the wise, kind, caring superwizard that he was portrayed to be thus far. As for Snape, not only does he turn out to be good, but we also get insights into his tumulous past and understand how he turned out the way he did. It is also interesting to see Potter and McG use Unforgivable Curses on their own accord in tight situations.

In the end, it's all one big happy ending as good triumphs over evil (yes, Harry doesn't die. The 'important' characters who did are Voldemort *duh*, Snape, Fred, Bellatrix, Wormtail, Lupin, Tonks, Mad-eye, Dobby and Hedwig). Rowling also gives us a glimpse of how they are doing 19 years later, but that's more of a feel-good extra anyway.
***SPOILERS END***

All I can hope now is that this book won't get butchered in the movie version.

Next book: The Children of Hurin

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