Genre: Fantasy
Series: Harry Potter #7 (final)
Page Count: 759
Publication Year: 2007
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Summary: After all this time, it’s revealed that Harry does not like tent camping.
The last time I started this book was about 14 years ago when I went to the library to get my little hands on the cassettes. I was vibrating with excitement and I remember sitting in the car, gripping the package (probably fatter than the actual book) and grinning.
What about now?
Even though I’ve had my issues with all the books, this one is the biggest flop. What really sinks this story is the bombardment of new information and lack of action.
It begins once more at the Dursley’s house. With the magical world fully bleeding out into the regular world, the Dursley’s are hidden away. I appreciate Dudley saying that Harry is not a waste of space, but his “redemption” has little context or true meaning.
Harry is escorted to safety with the help of his friends and in the ensuing chase, Hedwig and Moody die. I’d forgotten that Moody died but aside from a brief sadness, I’m left feeling no lingering pain from his passing, which is a problem repeated later.
Then the trio get gifts via Dumbledore’s will. Ron gets the Deluminator and its chief purpose is not to turn out lights, but to be Ron’s personal Star of Bethlehem and THAT’S SO DUMB. Why on earth would those two magical qualities be in one item? I just…can’t…AAHHHH! Was there really no other way to get Ron back to the others? Jack Sparrow’s compass or something? Hermione’s gift is pointless because she should’ve already known about the three brothers’ story, even if she didn’t believe it. And then Harry’s gift turns out to be the Resurrection Stone, which I thought would be the reason why he doesn’t die at the end. But that would make more sense than the reality, so of course that’s not what happens.
Eventually they discover Umbridge (curse her name) has one of the Horcruxes and they boldly retrieve it. But they’re forced to hide in the countryside where they spend a time and half a time on the never-ending camping trip of eternity. And this is where everything falls apart.
I understand that Harry is not having a great time. But is it necessary that we also must suffer through the repeated cycles of misery, inaction and hunger? Wouldn’t it be more impactful if we see his burgeoning problems, cut to someone else doing anything else, and then return to Harry where he has gone all but crazy? I think that could’ve worked.
Or…
A basilisk hunt. They don’t know where the last Horcruxes are but they do know that a basilisk fang can destroy them, so they set out for Albania in search of the monster. I don’t know if that fits with the lore, but it’d be a helluva lot more interesting than what actually happens.
I’m so salty right now.
Let’s take a break to highlight a few things:
Harry says he never learned healing spells and it’s “a serious flaw in his magical education.” Duh.
I suspected that the locket and tiara mentioned in books five and six, respectively, were the Horcruxes, and I’m miffed that I was right.
Homeschooling is an option. Why the Weasley’s didn’t take this course is beyond me.
I never found out how Harry’s parents got so rich. Maybe Snape donated some of his salary and that’s why he can’t afford a decent couch.
Hermione’s line: “Rack your brains, Ron, that should only take a couple of seconds” is the coldest, most glorious thing she’s ever said.
Jordan’s codename being River is hilarious. But who wouldn’t guess that “Romulus” is Remus? Is everyone an idiot? Don’t answer that.
Okay, I’m still salty, but the show must resume.
Over the course of almost two hundred pages the trio’s bickering and inaction is elevated to an art form and I hate it. Why couldn’t we get a chapter about Jordan setting up his radio program? Or a day in the life of Neville? Or Remus buying some clothes that don’t have holes in them? There is so much other stuff happening. This is not the time for long chunks of exposition/history lessons. I get that Harry needed to discover some things for himself but having pages and pages of information told to Harry (stuff that Dumbledore should’ve said years ago) kills what little momentum exists in this book. There’s too much new information—like the Hallows and wand lore—and it takes the place of meaningful events. We should’ve had most of the answers already and this whole book could’ve been dedicated to action, funerals, and better closure. It sucks that I can’t drum up much enthusiasm over what should be a grand conclusion.
But what about that showdown with Voldemort? It’s dumb. The whole thing rests on some wand shenanigans we didn’t even know existed until a couple hundred pages ago. Here’s what should’ve happened: Harry puts on the Resurrection Stone, Voldemort kills him, and instead of a chitchat with Dumbledore, Harry has to battle that shred of Voldemort’s soul. He wins, activates the Stone, says some sassy line to Voldemort and Sectumsempras his face into the hereafter. Bellatrix is shocked for a moment and just as she’s about to attack Harry, he—without uttering the spell—disarms her, and then the reinforcements arrive. Done. Forget the wand garbage and Harry’s monologue.
And instead of that sappy epilogue, there’s a chapter or two for funerals and a “what next?” conversation. I think that would’ve been more satisfying.
But there are some parts that I like: Harry leaving the Dursleys, retrieving the Horcrux from Umbridge, Malfoy’s Manor, breaking into Gringotts, and some of the final battle are all good bits.
Enough about the story; let’s move to the characters.
I liked Harry better in the early books. Ron is annoying and exceptionally dense. And Hermione doesn’t make things more bearable, but I do feel bad that she wiped her parent’s memories; something that impactful should’ve played a bigger role.
I can’t believe that Aberforth lived in Hogsmeade this whole time and Dumbledore never thought to introduce him to Harry. I also can’t believe that seemingly no one knew/mentioned Dumbledore’s brother lived right under their noses.
As I suspected, Snape’s last minute redemption does not work. You can not have a teacher mistreat/hate kids for years, give him a thirty-page montage of loving Harry’s mother and working with Dumbledore, and expect me to forgive him. He was a butt at the beginning and he’s a butt at the end. It’s a good montage but it would mean more if I’d seen Snape being kind at least a couple times prior to this reveal.
I wish Draco had more page time. Unlike Snape, I do think he deserves redemption. I love it when protagonists work with antagonists toward a common goal. It would’ve been great to see him help Harry get the last Horcrux and fight the baddies. But alas, all we get is a curt nod.
Of all those who die in this book, why does Dobby get the most attention? Why not Fred or Lupin? Without mourning for the likable characters, their deaths feel empty and pointless. If you’re going to kill someone, make it matter to the story and those left alive. And don’t even get me started on what a terrible mother Tonks is for leaving her newborn so she can go off and die and make an orphan of him.
Honestly, I’m disenchanted. I know I liked it back in the day and it’s probably better than the movies, but it’s a fumbled end for me. It’s been about four years since I finished a fantasy series, but I know this is not how a conclusion of this magnitude should make me feel.
Overall, the series is good. I wouldn’t say it’s brilliant or fantastic but it does have many great parts and interesting twists. The world is bright, the dialogue isn’t terrible, the humor works, the characters are distinct, and the story is something you can immediately get sucked in to, even if it has large holes. For the most part, I enjoyed the series, despite the disappointing finale.
Check out my rating here.