July 21, 2015 marked the 8 year anniversary of the 7th Harry Potter book's release. May I please take a moment of silence for how old that makes me feel? I remember attending the midnight release party, after convincing my mother to allow it, and staying up late into the morning to finish it. For many Harry Potter fans, it was a bittersweet moment marking an end of an era. In order to commemorate the anniversary, I re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now I've read this book at least half-a-dozen times, but I think I rediscover something new, or rather pay better attention, to things every time I read the book.
If you've never read the Harry Potter series, stop what you're doing right now, give The Sorcerers Stone at least 50 pages, and you can thank me later.
Now assuming, you've read Harry Potter 1 - 6, you will probably agree with me that each book grows in seriousness (sirius-ness hehe), but the 7th is easy to connect with as an adult in my 20's. The characters are turning against each other with their own inner frustrations, and relying on very minimal information provided by Dumbledore, but still banding together to fight the greater evil. The wizarding world is faced with the return of the reign of Lord Voldemort, and fear blankets the book's landscape. Harry and every other character we have grown to love struggle to determine who they can trust and keeping heavy burdens a secret and resting on their young shoulders. Which is something I think any teenager or 20-something can personally relate to. While Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince could arguably be renamed Harry Potter and the Year Everyone Properly Discovered Girls, in the Deathly Hallows the reader is really able to see relationships develop, and all the mistakes that go along with it, but most importantly the personal victories. Rowling does an amazing job of channeling each characters feelings to the readers without getting into too much detail where one can feel like they've lost touch with the scene in front of them.
At the beginning of the book Harry is back in his Aunt and Uncle's home, which I find to be a nice circle back to the beginning of the series. Harry is reflecting on memories he has in that very home, which is a theme that continues throughout the book. Harry is often connecting things from the past 6 books to his present. Which is a smooth transition to closing up quite a few mysteries that were left for us by Rowling, like how Professor Quirrell ended up with Voldemort in the back of his head from book one.
I love the feeling J.K. Rowling's books give me while turning through the pages. She has a very unique narrating style, in which I feel like I'm struggling right along with Harry, but still have more information than he does. It gives me a nice anticipating feeling, waiting for Harry to figure things out, when I've got just a tad more information than everyone else. The narrator, if you will, uses a playful set of words that almost make me feel like a magician is painting the story in my head with a wand and some over-the-top twinkling motions. I love seeing the different perspectives of each character. Overall, I love the emotional response that Rowling can dictate through her writing. The danger, anticipation, stress, love, and excitement will literally jump off the page at you.
The task set before Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the end of book 6 is to find, and destroy, the remaining Horcruxes. The Deathly Hallows takes you along on their dangerous journey. Which has more of an adult pressing, reality feel than the past 6. The danger is much more tangible and you can almost feel the effects of the Horcruxes on yourself.
The book is fast paced, but still manages to express the anxiety and strain the golden-trio experiences with the lack of an actual plan laid out before them. There is a darker tone to the book, and while the series over all feels happy and hopeful, the seventh reveals the shadows that have been looming over the magical world in much more detail. As a reader, I appreciate that Rowling did decide to kill off some of the more core characters. It always surprises me how attached to the characters I had become until those few words on a piece of paper can break my heart.
I will admit that I still tear up at the end of the book, and my heart gets twisted painfully with every death. Now, I don't want to leave any spoilers in this review so I will choose my words carefully. While for years my initial reaction was negative towards J.K Rowling's chosen ending for book 7; after my most recent reading of it, I found the ending to be very elegant. There is much more explanation than I had remembered, and she fits together the pieces of the 7 book puzzle beautifully.
As with all Harry Potter books I give this a 5/5. The story is gripping, emotional, and the world is beautifully magical, 10/10 would read again!
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