18 thoughts on “Done”

  6. Megan says:
    Reply

    WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
    I’m not sure I have anything really profound to add to the discussion on what I thought of Harry Potter (maybe more as the whole story simmers in my mind… maybe less as life takes over and I sort of forget about it). I may have the different perspective in that I didn’t have to wait two years to continue the story, so I didn’t have two years between books to develop my own thoughts/theories on what would/should happen. I just read it for the story it was, beginning to end.
    I was not disappointed with the last book, and like Margaret, noticed a lot of C.S. Lewis type writing. The epiloge – yes, short, yes, incomplete, but it did not necessarily leave me dissatisfied.
    I have to say that when I mentioned crying in earlier books, it was really more of a tearing up type of cry when Sirius died, when Dumbledore died, etc. But in 7 when characters died, I REALLY cried. Lupin and Tonks? Broke my heart. Really did. Fred? Oh my word. SAD. I cried when Harry realized that he had to actually die and when he accepted that. I cried when his parents and others “came back” to support him in his final walk toward death. Cried when he was discovering all of Snape’s memories and finally learning the truth about everything.
    Basically, just cried straight through the second half.
    So, did it wrap up at neatly as I would have hoped? Maybe not, but when I consider how long it was already and how long it would have had to go to really tidy everything up, I’m not sure what she could have done besides write an 8th book just on the peaceful life of the Potters, Weasleys, etc and if she’d done that, I would certainly have read it with relief, but I’m not sure it would have been the right thing either.
    I think it was good to just sit on the ending as it was. I had some relief knowing that Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione all lived, married, had good lives, raised families who lived in peaceful times, but I needed to feel the tension of the end as it was, so I have no complaints about it.
    So. That’s my 7:36 in the morning recap of the way I spent the past month. What did YOU think about it? Was the ending what you thought it would be, was it enough for you?

    Like

  7. Renae says:
    Reply

    MORE SPOILING:
    My main beef with the epilogue is that it was, in a word, “cheesy.” I thought having Harry “get the girl” was a bit too neat and tidy. And “Albus Severus?!?” … please! I also couldn’t get into the idea of Ron and Hermione as a couple… I liked the romantic tension, because they had been through so much together, but in the end I just couldn’t see them getting married. I would have been satisfied with no epilogue, but since there was one, I was disappointed that it didn’t tell us what happened to Neville and Luna.
    I also wasn’t crazy about the King’s Cross chapter… again, a bit too neat and tidy… Rowling needed to tie up some loose ends, and somehow have Dumbledore convey info to Harry, but it was a little too Morgan-Freeman-as-God for me. However, seeing Voldemort’s soul whimpering in the corner, then later Harry trying to encourage Voldemort away from this path, tugged on me.
    I cried during the part when Harry’s dearly deceased “came back” to encourage him. *Tears.* All he ever wanted was to have his parents, and this was as close as he would ever get.
    Overall, the end was enough for me. I’m sorry that Severus didn’t have a shot at redemption and lived his life with so much turmoil and despair, but otherwise I was satisfied. I enjoyed the series.

    Like

  8. Joanna says:
    Reply

    SPOILERS AGAIN:
    Book 7 had so many spiritual parallels that I could see in my own life. For example, the relationship with Harry and Dumbledore was so much like my relationship with the Lord. I sometimes see Dumbledore as a God the Father figure (although D has his human flaws). Dumbledore knew what Harry had to do and gave him just enough information to keep going. Harry, like me, doesn’t know where his path is going, but must continue on in the fight.
    I cried after the pensieve scene once I knew that Harry had to die. I was touched that Snape had loved his mother and wanted to look at her eyes. B00-Hoo.
    I love that Harry gave Voldemort a chance to “repent” and redeem himself from his evils, but Voldemort (with so many Satan-like qualities) did not. Voldemort reminded me of Satan in the way that he manipulated the wizarding world. He never was visibly running the Ministry of Magic, but his followers were. He caused dissention and distrust.
    The way the necklace affected Ron, especially just before he had to destroy it, was a picture to me of how Satan/sin can make our minds distrust ourselves and friends. I also want to point out that when Harry first saw the sword, it looked like a silver cross.
    It was a fine ending, I felt it answered a lot of questions I had. I went back to find the reference to the tiara in book 6, it is hidden in a sentence when Harry went to hide the potions book. J.K. amazes me in how she hides those little details.
    If you have more questions, JK does answer a lot of them in several interviews she has given over the past month. You can find them through http://www.mugglenet.com.

    Like

  11. Megan says:
    Reply

    WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
    I’m not sure I have anything really profound to add to the discussion on what I thought of Harry Potter (maybe more as the whole story simmers in my mind… maybe less as life takes over and I sort of forget about it). I may have the different perspective in that I didn’t have to wait two years to continue the story, so I didn’t have two years between books to develop my own thoughts/theories on what would/should happen. I just read it for the story it was, beginning to end.
    I was not disappointed with the last book, and like Margaret, noticed a lot of C.S. Lewis type writing. The epiloge – yes, short, yes, incomplete, but it did not necessarily leave me dissatisfied.
    I have to say that when I mentioned crying in earlier books, it was really more of a tearing up type of cry when Sirius died, when Dumbledore died, etc. But in 7 when characters died, I REALLY cried. Lupin and Tonks? Broke my heart. Really did. Fred? Oh my word. SAD. I cried when Harry realized that he had to actually die and when he accepted that. I cried when his parents and others “came back” to support him in his final walk toward death. Cried when he was discovering all of Snape’s memories and finally learning the truth about everything.
    Basically, just cried straight through the second half.
    So, did it wrap up at neatly as I would have hoped? Maybe not, but when I consider how long it was already and how long it would have had to go to really tidy everything up, I’m not sure what she could have done besides write an 8th book just on the peaceful life of the Potters, Weasleys, etc and if she’d done that, I would certainly have read it with relief, but I’m not sure it would have been the right thing either.
    I think it was good to just sit on the ending as it was. I had some relief knowing that Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione all lived, married, had good lives, raised families who lived in peaceful times, but I needed to feel the tension of the end as it was, so I have no complaints about it.
    So. That’s my 7:36 in the morning recap of the way I spent the past month. What did YOU think about it? Was the ending what you thought it would be, was it enough for you?

    Like

  12. Renae says:
    Reply

    MORE SPOILING:
    My main beef with the epilogue is that it was, in a word, “cheesy.” I thought having Harry “get the girl” was a bit too neat and tidy. And “Albus Severus?!?” … please! I also couldn’t get into the idea of Ron and Hermione as a couple… I liked the romantic tension, because they had been through so much together, but in the end I just couldn’t see them getting married. I would have been satisfied with no epilogue, but since there was one, I was disappointed that it didn’t tell us what happened to Neville and Luna.
    I also wasn’t crazy about the King’s Cross chapter… again, a bit too neat and tidy… Rowling needed to tie up some loose ends, and somehow have Dumbledore convey info to Harry, but it was a little too Morgan-Freeman-as-God for me. However, seeing Voldemort’s soul whimpering in the corner, then later Harry trying to encourage Voldemort away from this path, tugged on me.
    I cried during the part when Harry’s dearly deceased “came back” to encourage him. *Tears.* All he ever wanted was to have his parents, and this was as close as he would ever get.
    Overall, the end was enough for me. I’m sorry that Severus didn’t have a shot at redemption and lived his life with so much turmoil and despair, but otherwise I was satisfied. I enjoyed the series.

    Like

  13. Joanna says:
    Reply

    SPOILERS AGAIN:
    Book 7 had so many spiritual parallels that I could see in my own life. For example, the relationship with Harry and Dumbledore was so much like my relationship with the Lord. I sometimes see Dumbledore as a God the Father figure (although D has his human flaws). Dumbledore knew what Harry had to do and gave him just enough information to keep going. Harry, like me, doesn’t know where his path is going, but must continue on in the fight.
    I cried after the pensieve scene once I knew that Harry had to die. I was touched that Snape had loved his mother and wanted to look at her eyes. B00-Hoo.
    I love that Harry gave Voldemort a chance to “repent” and redeem himself from his evils, but Voldemort (with so many Satan-like qualities) did not. Voldemort reminded me of Satan in the way that he manipulated the wizarding world. He never was visibly running the Ministry of Magic, but his followers were. He caused dissention and distrust.
    The way the necklace affected Ron, especially just before he had to destroy it, was a picture to me of how Satan/sin can make our minds distrust ourselves and friends. I also want to point out that when Harry first saw the sword, it looked like a silver cross.
    It was a fine ending, I felt it answered a lot of questions I had. I went back to find the reference to the tiara in book 6, it is hidden in a sentence when Harry went to hide the potions book. J.K. amazes me in how she hides those little details.
    If you have more questions, JK does answer a lot of them in several interviews she has given over the past month. You can find them through http://www.mugglenet.com.

    Like

  14. Claudia says:
    Reply

    I have to say that I cried reading your responses because it reminded me how much I enjoyed the books. I have been reading them for 10 years and it was a good ending for me. I was satisfied and truthfully, I’m sad it’s over. I am looking forward to the last movies…..

    Like

  15. Margaret says:
    Reply

    Wow. Where to begin. SPOILERS!!
    Harry facing death reminded me of Aslan facing his execution with the Queen. I liked how Rowling showed Harry’s fear and thoughts, while Lewis showed Lucy and Susan’s observations of Aslan’s trepidation.
    An overriding theme of the books, I think, is motherlove (one word). First, Lily’s love of Harry permeates all (and arguably, McGongagol (sp?) loves Harry like a grandmother-kind of stern but loving). Molly is the ultimate mom- not just when she fights and bests Bellatrix (ha! moms are better with wands than other witches) but throughout the series. She has seven children but plenty of room for Harry and Hermoine.
    Narcissa, however, is the “fallen” mom with whom I identify most honestly and reluctantly. She forms the bond with Snape, because of fear for her son. Her love for her son ultimately saves Harry (and allows him to defeat Voldemort). I loathe Narcissa and yet I see myself, the imperfect person whose love for her child makes her a better person and makes her able to break free of those Death Eaters.
    The epilogue is a little tidy, but I think Harry deserves a nice life after all he endured.

    Like

  16. Claudia says:
    Reply

    I have to say that I cried reading your responses because it reminded me how much I enjoyed the books. I have been reading them for 10 years and it was a good ending for me. I was satisfied and truthfully, I’m sad it’s over. I am looking forward to the last movies…..

    Like

  17. Margaret says:
    Reply

    Wow. Where to begin. SPOILERS!!
    Harry facing death reminded me of Aslan facing his execution with the Queen. I liked how Rowling showed Harry’s fear and thoughts, while Lewis showed Lucy and Susan’s observations of Aslan’s trepidation.
    An overriding theme of the books, I think, is motherlove (one word). First, Lily’s love of Harry permeates all (and arguably, McGongagol (sp?) loves Harry like a grandmother-kind of stern but loving). Molly is the ultimate mom- not just when she fights and bests Bellatrix (ha! moms are better with wands than other witches) but throughout the series. She has seven children but plenty of room for Harry and Hermoine.
    Narcissa, however, is the “fallen” mom with whom I identify most honestly and reluctantly. She forms the bond with Snape, because of fear for her son. Her love for her son ultimately saves Harry (and allows him to defeat Voldemort). I loathe Narcissa and yet I see myself, the imperfect person whose love for her child makes her a better person and makes her able to break free of those Death Eaters.
    The epilogue is a little tidy, but I think Harry deserves a nice life after all he endured.

    Like

Leave a comment