Random Thoughts on Deathly Hallows

[selenite0]

I liked it. It's a good book. Not great, but Rowling isn't up to great yet. She'd probably be better without the panting throngs demanding the next book right away, though. A 10% cut (Heinlein's usual trim of a finished novel) would've helped quite a bit, but no editor wants to delay a book which will be bought by millions regardless of the quality. It'd be nice to get an "editor's cut" version down the line.

The sparse references to religion are odd. The wedding was a civil ceremony, souls go nowhere except the bellies of Dementors, and only Muggles go to church. But they put Bible quotes on tombstones, celebrate Christmas (instead of Yule), and appoint godfathers for children. With a sacrifice-and-resurrection plot I'd expect closer connections or careful avoidance. I wonder if this is reflecting the state of modern-day Anglicalism in the UK.

Penseives can hold the memories of a dead person? Wizard historians should be urging prominent people and witnesses to major events to donate memories to archives. Education would also benefit by routinely using Penseives to train students. There's nothing like feeling how it should be done right to give someone a clue of how to learn how to do it. There's all sorts of speculation about what full-immersion virtual reality could do for training, Pensieves can deliver on most of that.

So . . . Crabbe got boiled, huh?

On my predictions:

I thought Ginny would be making snoggings of opportunity and was right. Thought it might go farther--wrong. Right, kid's book, I keep forgetting. My H/G fanfic is thoroughly Jossed--normally there's lulls all through the book to stretch the plot out to match the school year, and fics can be dropped into them. Not this time. Once the early aimless wandering was done they hardly took a break.

Snape is a good guy. Yes, I'm one of the vast hordes who saw that coming. I feel a little smug in predicting we'd get his side of the story through a Penseive. Didn't get the details right, though. The Prince's backstory skipped the actual killing of Dumbledore.

We're down a Weasley twin. I figured that was the minimum the family would lose. Breaking up the set intensifies the impact so I wasn't surprised the other made it.

The accidental Horcrux I didn't see coming, I was convinced they could only be made intentionally.

Comments

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[btripp.livejournal.com]

"We're down a Weasley twin. I figured that was the minimum the family would lose. Breaking up the set intensifies the impact so I wasn't surprised the other made it."

Now, I've not read any of the books, but I've seen all the movies so far. I recall seeing something that quoted JKR as saying she'd "given a reprieve" to a character at the last edit, and (when I'd seen the spoliers about who died when) I was wondering if she'd originally killed off both of the twins, and then opted to have one survive.


(http://www.btripp.com)

[exbentley]

Actually, she's said in a very recent interview that Arthur Weasley was slated to die by snake in book five, but got a reprive.

[exbentley]

At least JKR made sure the fans will always remember which one; it's the one who still had two ears, of course!

[unwilly.livejournal.com]

Yes, the Christmas holiday thing bugs me.

Rowling uses things only for plot all the time, without ever seeing or using their implications to interesting tangents or conclusions.

On www.kingdomofloathing there is a wizard who accidentally turned himself into a lich while making a complicated breakfast.

[lolleeroberts.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was one of the ones who trusted Snape. Is it wrong that I'm already looking forward to seeing Alan Rickman chew up the scenery on that one?

By the way - your icon is one of my favorite quotes from B5. Marcus Cole for the win!

[archangelbeth]

She really does have a hate-on for potential father-figures, doesn't she? O_o
Heck, Harry didn't even get to keep Snape.


(I always knew the author loved Snape. No one tortures a character that much, and makes him that cool, without loving him.)

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I figured that was why Moody went so soon--keep him from taking over as the one who Harry could turn to when he's in trouble.

[archangelbeth]

Oh, doh, of course. So who's left, Hagrid?

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to seeing what-all other stories Rowling has had simmering while she was getting the golden goose marketed.

Will she continue to write about Hogwarts-style wizards or go someplace else totally?

With all this practice under her belt, she should be able to organize her meta-plot better in the next one(s), and scatter the clues a bit more subtly, and not require an 'infodump' scene like the one in the Kings Cross chapter.

But I was sorry to find Lupin and Tonks in the morgue in the Great Hall. They were two of my favorite characters.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Mr. Weasley as adoptive dad . . . and Rowling was originally planning on killing him off. Lupin might've qualified but instead flunked Harry's test of being a good father.

Hagrid seems to be more the comic-relief uncle figure, he doesn't have the competence you need in a reliable father figure. Sitcom father figure he'd be perfect for.

This is making think about mother figures for Harry. McGonagle, Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione are all contenders, but he doesn't get emotionally worked up about any of them and they all lived. Hmmm.

[archangelbeth]

If anything, the theme of Maternal Love/Protection is strong in the last one -- who trounces the Evil Witch? The Mother. Who saved Harry's life as a wee one? Mum. Who helps him because he's got knowledge of her kid? Narcissa Malfoy.

Mother-power.

[stellar-dust.livejournal.com]

Heh .. it'd be like a holocron merged with a holodeck. ;D

.. I wonder how many pensieves there *are*, really. Dumbledore's might be one of few, or even the only one!