Monday, July 23, 2007

The End of Harry Potter

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this morning about 2:30ish. And that is all I am going to say about this particular book for a while, so that everyone has a chance to read it. I do, however, have some general observations that I would like to make at the ending of this era of Harry Potter publications.

*Why can I wait breathlessly by the mailbox for my new Harry Potter book, but don't even know what day of the month the church magazines come?

*Why is is easy for me to drop everything and even stay up until 2 in the morning to finish the latest Harry Potter book, but I can't find the time to read the Ensign. Or even worse, I have had the same 5 chapters left to finish The Book of Mormon for the last 2 weeks, and I haven't done it! What's up with that?

*Why can I have meaningless conversations with my children about who we think is going to die and why and is Snape really good or bad and what makes you think so, but we don't have meaningful conversations about what is going on in life?

*If I stayed up till 2 in the morning cleaning out my sewing room and/or office, I wouldn't be doing it in the heat, my kids would not interrupt me, the phone wouldn't ring and my house would be cleaner. But I find that too hard to do, I need my sleep, you know.

*Does anyone else think that Ron is whiney and needs to get over himself? (I know, I know, he is a teenager and the last son in a big family and all sidekicks are that way, but really)

*And do you think that it would be great if Harry and Ron would admit that Hermonie really does know what she is talking about?

*Tell me why, when Harry learns in book 1 that he is the chosen one, why does he not put a bit more effort into learning those things that might help him instead of just leaving it all to chance?

*Finally, and this has been my biggest pet peeve throughout the whole series, Why, why, why does she have them celebrate Christian holidays, like Christmas and Easter? I know it is just a story and it gives the readers something to relate to the characters and all that, but this has always irritated me. Just ask my kids, they'll tell you. Even if they are good and bad and in between, they are still witches and wizards- they don't celebrate the birth or death of Christ. (ok, off of my soap box on this point now)

But all in all I have this to say- I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. That is the way I would have ended it.

3 comments:

ShazBraz said...

I was just going to email you and ask you if you were done.

1)the Holiday thing bugs me too, but probably just a little. I'm guessing it would just be way too complicated and not important enough to introduce and explain wizard holidays.

2)The "why didn't he try to do better in school" is one of my biggest gripes about the whole series.

3)Your first few points I will just ignore completely, so as not to be crushed by the weight of my own guilt...

4)and where (answer in email if you need to) oh where are they on the cover?!?

5)I was disappointed in the ending.

Sandra said...

I just sent you and e-mail discussing these in more depth than I want to here right now. But I agree with you on #4. Does not make sense to me.

Unknown said...

I loved the book. Yes, I think Ron is whiney, but I find it very funny with Hermione's responses to him.

I loved the way everything pulled together, was sad to see a few characters go but couldn't put the book down.

Can't wait to see what J.K. Rowling has for us in the future.