Contains Spoilers
So, my reading of the final Harry Potter book was unforunately interrupted by having to go to work, and I finished it late last night so I've had chance to think on it and sleep on it to try to organise some thoughts.
Overall, I have to say, I was impressed. The book I read and the on I had been expecting from JK were nowhere near the same thing. It was another hefty tone, but unlike OoTP and HBP it seemed like she was finally using her extras to truly develop characters and move things along, rather than creating 400 pages of unnecessary dross. The world she created in this book was one of fear and darkness and numbing unknowing and that really surprised me. I still maintain that this is not really a book meant for children at all. The terror for the people, those who suffered and the climate of fear and oppression she created remind me of Clockwork Orange more than some children's novel. The confusion and uncertainity Harry and the others faced throught most of the book, where you realise how little they really did know was believable and worked well. Their lack of food, lack of support and lack of hope at times made it seem like a war, not a quest. Amusingly, after their sending up of JK in the series, I was strongly reminded of the last episode of the current series of Doctor Who as well. I suppose it shows what's over everyone's mind of late.
So, onto the horcruxes and the deathly hallows. I have to admit, when I stopped for work around the 400 page mark, I was fairly annoyed. It seemed like JK had got bored halfway through with her horcruxes plot and decided to implement something bigger and better to be used to defeat Voldemort. I was pleasantly surprised later on, therefore to realise that the deathly hallows had very little to do with Voldemort at all, other than to give Harry to means to the end. Her return to the horcruxes and the problems they posed made the two plots work much better in conjunction than they would have otherwise. I am amused that, in a way, both the 'Harry is a horcrux' and 'But he went there to kill him' camps were right. It was a little too convient to have it be an accident, a chance of fate, but it made for some interesting thought on the nature of magic and the soul in this universe that will probably warrant some further thinking and dicussion. The deathly hallows were an interesting idea, as part of the idea of fairy tales never being just what they were supposed to be and also what they meant both to Dumbledore and to Harry. It was, arguably, an unnecessary divergance of character development and backstory, but for once, I think it really did add to the whole.
Now, the Dumbledore subplot. There will be some, perhaps, that say she could've skipped it entirely. It's bearing on the actual plot was fairly minimal. Howver, it added a layer of depth to the characters that we have rarely seen before. Dumbledore became, in many ways, something more than the kindly omnipotent Headmaster was have seen. In many ways, being shown his failures, his temptations and his fallabilty allowed not only Harry, but the reader and well, to grow beyond the figures we have been given to admie. The hardest thing for a a child is too realise their parents, their heroes, are human. His friendship with Grindelwald, and the family history we were shown showed a man who had made mistakes, who would fall to power.
In this book, truly, really, finally, Harry grew up. I was impressed with the way JK made him handle himself in the latter parts of the book. From that moment in the Room of Requirement where he truly understands that he cannot stop those who will fight, that there is more than just the three of the them who will do whatever they can, he becomes a leader worthy of his acclaim. When he goes to die, when he sees that there really is something more important than himself, we can truly see that Harry Potter has grown up. That he knows what is necessary. The choice JK made, as anal_cram_ink did in her Book 7 story, to not have Harry kill Voldemort, to simply do nothing, is much more fitting. This way, evil destroys itself, and Voldemort is finally reduced to nothing more than a fool. Much better.
So, who else was right about Snape? Laurel was so, so right about his feelings for Lily, as expected. I loved the detail about them having known each other before Hogwarts. About Petunia. It added a layer that few people had really considered, and made Snape a victim of the circumstances he found himself in, separated from the friendship that kept him grounded. We know now why that was Snape's worst memory. No the humiliation, but the breaking of the most important bond of trust. His hatred for Harry, and the protection he gave makes so much more sense. All that was left of Lily, who he had taken away. His interaction with Dumbledore was perfect, snarky as Snape should be and wonderful. It has reaffirmed Snape as one of my favourite charcaters.
Ron and Hermione were both irratating me a great deal during the first half or so. Actually, Hermione irrated me throughout. Overall, I'd say, despite supposedly being the brains of the operation, she was about as much use as a chocolate teapot and twice as drippy. On the other hand, after Ron came back I came to appreciate his character in a way I never really had before. He too, grew up. He gained the initative, the drive to help and to rely on himself that he had lacked. He became, in my eyes, Harry's equal. I can understand why she had him leave, it added to the bleakness, the despair of it all. That everyone falls. His return returned hope.
The deaths were interesting. I was mildly surprised to see Moody go, but not overly cut up about it. Remus and Tonks, well I've been saying Remus would die all along. Sad they left the kid behind all alone, but these things happen. Remus was another one who spent much of his time annoying me, serious lack of priorities. Fred was a crual on to kill, but I have odd views of the relationship between twins these days, and I felt sorry for George more than anyone else there. Having Molly Weasley kill Bellatrix was absolutely brilliant though, and that she died as Sirius did, laughing in triumph, made equal in death, pleased me. Well done, JK. The one death that actually really got me, was Dobby's. That one struck me as truly sad. He had done so much for them, served so well and been so brave. He had helped Harry Potter. Harry digging the grave himself and carving the stone fitted, and I was glad of it. Griphook was right, it showed a better attitude than most would.
And finally, the end. Or rather, I'd like the separate out 'the end' and 'the extra'. JK's chosen ending to the present time action, in the Headmaster's office with Harry demonstrating the strength we saw him gain was perfect, and the inclusion of Dumbledore's picture was good. As he said, just because it's all in your head doesn't make it not real. To me, Harry wondering about Kreacher (who I came to have a much deeper undersatnding of and respect for, I was glad he survived) bringing him a sandwich and a moment of peace and relief was undoubted the better way to end it. The extra I am choosing to ignore for the most part, I hate Harry/Ginny, it was a dull family motif with a few small humourous redeeming moments, but unnecessary and irritating for the most part. Yes, it's all very well that Harry was happy with his wife and kids, but really it was JK making sure there could be no more without killing off Harry. I know why she did it, but I still didn't like it as a means to an end. I stand mildly disappointed that Harry didn't die, it would have been a fitting end, but better to leave us wondering what he did next and stick to her guns not to write another than end her last bit so weakly.
Overall, I have to say this was probably one of my favourites, if not my favourite and I was pleased. Thoughts/Comments/Other ideas greatly welcome if you managed to make it all the way through would be appreciated.
Could come under the heading of tl;dr though, but it helped me anyway.