Harry Potter and the Half-Assed Review
Jul. 21st, 2005 05:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vovatOkay, I've finished the book, and I have a LOT to say about it. So here goes:
Not surprisingly, I have to say that I found the end to be upsetting. I sort of suspected that Dumbledore would die, because of the whole Hero's Mentor Dying at a Crucial Moment thing. There was a lot of speculation that he would, and I thought it made sense. It certainly didn't come out of left field like Cedric and Sirius dying. That didn't stop his death from being disturbing, though, especially when seeing it through Harry's eyes. I also have to say that Snape turning traitor WAS kind of a shock, not because I liked him, or even because Dumbledore trusted him, but for narrative reasons. I didn't think Rowling would want to sacrifice a good guy who's a jerk with some serious issues for yet another Surprise Villain. But I guess that's the way Rowling works. Just when you think she's going to zig, she zags.
Indeed, one thing I found particularly interesting about the book was that Rowling pulls off what's essentially a Reverse Red Herring. Snape tells us what he's up to back in Chapter 2, but we suspect he's lying. Harry comes up with a pretty accurate deduction as to what Snape and Draco Malfoy are up to, yet we've gotten to the point where we pretty much expect Harry's suspicions to be dead wrong, especially when it comes to Snape and Malfoy. That's how I saw it, anyway. Maybe everyone else is smarter than me, and had this all figured out while reading the book.
The ending aside, I found that my favorite parts of the story tended to be the ones where we learned about Voldemort's past. I like a villain with an interesting back story, and each trip into someone's memory left me wanting more. The idea that Slughorn had tampered with his own memory was an interesting twist. The whole Horcrux thing kind of reminds me of a video game, where you have to find a certain number of special objects before facing the main villain. Maybe that's just the way my mind is wired, though.
In case you didn't notice, there were a LOT of relationships in this book. {g} Apparently Rowling chose to throw the shippers not just a bone, but an entire skeleton. I'd actually been wanting Harry and Ginny to end up together, but Harry's feelings for her kind of come out of nowhere. I guess it's supposed to be the whole "wow, my true love was right under my nose the whole time, and I didn't realize it" kind of thing. Ron and Hermione continue with their constant tension and trying to make each other jealous. They don't actually end up as a couple in this book (as far as I can remember, anyway), but it strikes me as pretty much a given for the next book (unless Rowling decides to zigzag again). Then there's Bill and Fleur, and Lupin and Tonks. I guess Molly Weasley's explanation about how "people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over" helps to explain this.
I really wish Rowling would stop bringing tragedy upon Hagrid. He's always been one of my favorite characters, and not only does he get little respect from many other characters, but he's been expelled, sent to Azkaban, severely beaten by giants, and now attacked by Death Eaters. I do appreciate that McGonagall asks his opinion about keeping the school open. When thinking about this, I came up with the highly unlikely idea that Hagrid could become the new Head of Gryffindor. I mean, the position is open now that McGonagall is the Headmistress, and he's the only faculty member that I know for sure was in Gryffindor. (Really, I would have pegged him for a Hufflepuff, but Rowling has said that he was in Gryffindor. I really don't know whether she's revealed the houses of any of the other faculty members, aside from him, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Slughorn, Flitwick, and Sprout. Does anyone know?) I'm sure this is just wishful thinking, though. Really, I mostly just hope that he survives the series.
There were a few things I would have liked to have seen addressed in the book that weren't. For one thing, I've seen a lot of speculation about Petunia and Percy, and both of them had extremely minor roles in this volume. Hopefully there will be more on both of them in the final book. I've also been hoping for some time to see more about Filch and Mrs. Norris. I think there's a little more to them than simply a bitter, child-hating squib and his cat. I suppose it's possible that Mrs. Norris is part kneazle, like Crookshanks apparently is. And speaking of Crookshanks, there's another character who was pretty much ignored in this book. I think there was maybe one mention of him. Also, a little more of Snape actually teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts might have been good, but I guess we saw enough of it to get the general idea. And we STILL haven't seen a Slytherin student who isn't a jerk. Can't you have ambition without being evil?
If I might offer some speculation, I think "R.A.B." is Regulus Black, Sirius' brother. I'd forgotten all about him until I saw him mentioned in Half-Blood Prince, but wasn't there something about his having betrayed Voldemort? I can't find the reference right now. Regardless, it seems to fit. I'm sure plenty of other people have already come up with this idea, but I'm still proud of myself for thinking of it on my own. {g}
I was rather surprised by Harry's statement that he wouldn't return to Hogwarts for his final year. I do think the school will remain open, though, and that it will play a significant role even if Harry isn't enrolled there. Assuming that my half-baked idea about Hagrid is incorrect, and that all of the current faculty members remain (including Slughorn as Potions master and Head of Slytherin, which actually seems somewhat unlikely given his attitude after Dumbledore's death, but I'm going to go ahead and assume he'll stay anyway), there are four positions that need to be filled: Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor, and Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Was it just a coincidence that McGonagall was both Head of a House and Deputy Headmistress, or is that typical? If it is, then we'll probably see either Flitwick or Sprout in the position. Also, I think the most likely candidates for Head Boy and Girl are Ron and Hermione, but Rowling could easily go against expectations in this respect.
Okay, I guess that's all I have to say about the book at the moment. Now I guess I'll go ahead and read other people's comments on it.
Not surprisingly, I have to say that I found the end to be upsetting. I sort of suspected that Dumbledore would die, because of the whole Hero's Mentor Dying at a Crucial Moment thing. There was a lot of speculation that he would, and I thought it made sense. It certainly didn't come out of left field like Cedric and Sirius dying. That didn't stop his death from being disturbing, though, especially when seeing it through Harry's eyes. I also have to say that Snape turning traitor WAS kind of a shock, not because I liked him, or even because Dumbledore trusted him, but for narrative reasons. I didn't think Rowling would want to sacrifice a good guy who's a jerk with some serious issues for yet another Surprise Villain. But I guess that's the way Rowling works. Just when you think she's going to zig, she zags.
Indeed, one thing I found particularly interesting about the book was that Rowling pulls off what's essentially a Reverse Red Herring. Snape tells us what he's up to back in Chapter 2, but we suspect he's lying. Harry comes up with a pretty accurate deduction as to what Snape and Draco Malfoy are up to, yet we've gotten to the point where we pretty much expect Harry's suspicions to be dead wrong, especially when it comes to Snape and Malfoy. That's how I saw it, anyway. Maybe everyone else is smarter than me, and had this all figured out while reading the book.
The ending aside, I found that my favorite parts of the story tended to be the ones where we learned about Voldemort's past. I like a villain with an interesting back story, and each trip into someone's memory left me wanting more. The idea that Slughorn had tampered with his own memory was an interesting twist. The whole Horcrux thing kind of reminds me of a video game, where you have to find a certain number of special objects before facing the main villain. Maybe that's just the way my mind is wired, though.
In case you didn't notice, there were a LOT of relationships in this book. {g} Apparently Rowling chose to throw the shippers not just a bone, but an entire skeleton. I'd actually been wanting Harry and Ginny to end up together, but Harry's feelings for her kind of come out of nowhere. I guess it's supposed to be the whole "wow, my true love was right under my nose the whole time, and I didn't realize it" kind of thing. Ron and Hermione continue with their constant tension and trying to make each other jealous. They don't actually end up as a couple in this book (as far as I can remember, anyway), but it strikes me as pretty much a given for the next book (unless Rowling decides to zigzag again). Then there's Bill and Fleur, and Lupin and Tonks. I guess Molly Weasley's explanation about how "people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over" helps to explain this.
I really wish Rowling would stop bringing tragedy upon Hagrid. He's always been one of my favorite characters, and not only does he get little respect from many other characters, but he's been expelled, sent to Azkaban, severely beaten by giants, and now attacked by Death Eaters. I do appreciate that McGonagall asks his opinion about keeping the school open. When thinking about this, I came up with the highly unlikely idea that Hagrid could become the new Head of Gryffindor. I mean, the position is open now that McGonagall is the Headmistress, and he's the only faculty member that I know for sure was in Gryffindor. (Really, I would have pegged him for a Hufflepuff, but Rowling has said that he was in Gryffindor. I really don't know whether she's revealed the houses of any of the other faculty members, aside from him, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Slughorn, Flitwick, and Sprout. Does anyone know?) I'm sure this is just wishful thinking, though. Really, I mostly just hope that he survives the series.
There were a few things I would have liked to have seen addressed in the book that weren't. For one thing, I've seen a lot of speculation about Petunia and Percy, and both of them had extremely minor roles in this volume. Hopefully there will be more on both of them in the final book. I've also been hoping for some time to see more about Filch and Mrs. Norris. I think there's a little more to them than simply a bitter, child-hating squib and his cat. I suppose it's possible that Mrs. Norris is part kneazle, like Crookshanks apparently is. And speaking of Crookshanks, there's another character who was pretty much ignored in this book. I think there was maybe one mention of him. Also, a little more of Snape actually teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts might have been good, but I guess we saw enough of it to get the general idea. And we STILL haven't seen a Slytherin student who isn't a jerk. Can't you have ambition without being evil?
If I might offer some speculation, I think "R.A.B." is Regulus Black, Sirius' brother. I'd forgotten all about him until I saw him mentioned in Half-Blood Prince, but wasn't there something about his having betrayed Voldemort? I can't find the reference right now. Regardless, it seems to fit. I'm sure plenty of other people have already come up with this idea, but I'm still proud of myself for thinking of it on my own. {g}
I was rather surprised by Harry's statement that he wouldn't return to Hogwarts for his final year. I do think the school will remain open, though, and that it will play a significant role even if Harry isn't enrolled there. Assuming that my half-baked idea about Hagrid is incorrect, and that all of the current faculty members remain (including Slughorn as Potions master and Head of Slytherin, which actually seems somewhat unlikely given his attitude after Dumbledore's death, but I'm going to go ahead and assume he'll stay anyway), there are four positions that need to be filled: Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor, and Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Was it just a coincidence that McGonagall was both Head of a House and Deputy Headmistress, or is that typical? If it is, then we'll probably see either Flitwick or Sprout in the position. Also, I think the most likely candidates for Head Boy and Girl are Ron and Hermione, but Rowling could easily go against expectations in this respect.
Okay, I guess that's all I have to say about the book at the moment. Now I guess I'll go ahead and read other people's comments on it.
