It is fitting to write my brief review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Harry's birthday, July 31. I'm happy to know he's a fellow Leo (my birthday is July 26). Enough of these minor details -- let's get to the essentials: Book 7 is the best of the series and exceeded my expectations as a reader. It is dark, yes, and there are numerous deaths, yet the overriding messages of hope and love and friendship and family outweigh the blackest parts. I relished the journey of the three friends (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) to find the Horcruxes, and the story and discovery of the Hallows was fascinating. I really liked digging into Albus Dumbledore's past, finding out about his family and his regrets; it's incredible that a wizard so accomplished could doubt himself so much, as was revealed during Harry's dream or vision near the end of the book. (That was my favorite part of the book. What a sweet reunion.) I enjoyed getting to know Alberforth, Albus's brother, and I wished we had seen more of him in the previous books. It was fun to find out more about another common room: Ravenclaw, the Hogwarts House known for wisdom. I decided I would feel at home there with Luna. She is a great character, and I can relate to a girl whose head is up in the clouds. At the same time, she is brave and doesn't hesitate from fighting even Bellatrix. Harry's closest friends are those who he can trust rather than those who are the most popular kids. I'm impressed with his ability to see past the exterior and notice the goodness in Luna and Neville. Rowling did not disappoint with Severus Snape's bittersweet backstory; he is the most complicated character in the series, and I'm impressed with Harry, who forgave a man who despised him because ultimately Harry admired Snape for the remarkable qualities he possessed. Many of the deaths were hard to read about, but for some reason, I was more emotional when Dobby died than when Fred passed on. Call me Hermione -- I guess those house elves are special to me. I didn't think Rowling would kill one of the twins, but I thought someone from the Weasley family might die. I was worried it would be Ginny, which would have made me cry for poor Harry. I LOVED IT when Mrs. Weasley went after Bellatrix and defeated her. Harry showed such growth and maturity as the book went on; I was impressed with his bravery in walking toward his death in the forest -- with the wonderful encouragement of his deceased family and friends -- and his cool head as he faced Voldemort for the final time. He even tried to help Voldemort realize he should have some remorse for the possibility of redemption, but Tom Riddle was too far gone to understand that. I wanted to join the previous headmasters in the standing ovation to Harry. Long live Harry! And the epilogue was excellent fan service, letting us know that Harry and Ginny married and had children as well as Ron and Hermione. I found out from an interview that J. K. Rowling decided not to kill Mr. Weasley in Book 5 -- she gave him a reprieve -- because she liked him and he was one of the only good father figures in the series. She killed off Lupin and Tonks as a way to mirror what had happened to Harry, to show the horrible evil from a man willing to kill anyone, who leaves children as orphans. Harry, of course, welcomed Teddy into his own family life. What a wonderful series this has been, and while it's sad that the series has ended, it's nice to know I can reenter that magical realm any time I crack open one of the seven books. Three cheers for Rowling! A+
p.s. I've decided Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur Weasley's residence, is my dream home. The waves crashing against the rocky shore and the sparkling seashells embedded in the exterior walls -- how romantic.
