DH Impressions -- Where do I even start? (Spoilers!)
Whew!
everything else below cut for spoilers
This is completely and totally random, btw.
1. The late Mr & Mrs Remus Lupin -- What was the whole point of that? I didn't see that their deaths advanced the plot, and she certainly didn't wring any emotion out of it. Not compared to, say, Dobby's death, over which I bawled for a good 1/2 hour.
2. That was the STRAIGHT Remus Lupin that died there, BTW. The GAY Remus Lupin is still doing just fine. I expect the same goes for GAY Tonks as well.
3. Poor Tonks was just kind of wasted in this. She was such a cool character in OOTP, and then... bleah.
4. But that's OK, because in DH we have Super!Hermione! (Not that that's a bad thing, really.
5. LOVED the background on Dumbledore and his family. LOVED!
6. Finding out Snape's Patronus was the doe? NEVER saw that one coming, and when that was revealed, I actually jumped to my feet with some sort of loud exclamation. I always figured it would be either a snake or a phoenix, but especially after the way Albus treated/used/abused poor Severus, I love that it was the doe. That totally blew me away.
7a. The entire chapter "The Tale of The Prince". Damn. I started crying again just writing those words. Obviously my favorite chapter in the entire book, even if it did scoop my heart out and hack it up into little bitty pieces. For once, I approve of the way GrandPre drew Severus -- @ 9 years old. I wanted to pick little Severus up the moment I saw him, run away with him, feed him, cuddle him; and that need/desire did not abate AT All no matter how old he got. **Just as we have always known** that poor little snake needs some serious remedial love and affection. And OMG, he was so adorable, with his imperious demeanor in his mis-matched clothes. WAAAAHHHHHH!
7b. OK -- did the memories in that chapter seem familiar to anyone else? Maybe because we've already read so many of them in fanfic? ;-) Man, either Jo's been reading our comms the last few years, or a number of writers *seriously* pegged the Snape/Lily and Snape/DD relationships some time ago.
7c. And ohhh, thank god we were right!!!! As you know from my earlier posts, I was just cringing that Severus was going to turn out to be the evil, mustache-twirling baddie, so I was so thankful and relieved and happy that he was Dumbledore's man after all. (Not that Albus deserved him, you understand.)
8. Albus Severus; has Lily's eyes; "the bravest man I ever knew" = WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *totally bawling again now*
9. Oh yeah, speaking of bawling again: DOBBY!!!! WAHHHHHHH! One of the most poignant death scenes I think I've ever read. And Luna's speech at the his grave. *sniff*
10. Harry telling Voldy -- and everyone else -- that Snape was really a good guy. I just wish we'd gotten to see more reaction, especially from the other teachers, and WHY when they're talking about the fallen, **doesn't anyone go get Severus's body out of the Shrieking Shack?**
11. And OMG, Severus died in the Shrieking Shack! Where he almost met death 20 years before!!! (Considering what I wrote in "Destination", I got a bit of a shiver when I realized that; even tho Lupin wasn't involved.
12. The Marauders. Somehow I just knew that no one from that era was going to make it through the book alive. All of them, esp Sirius, Pettigrew and Snape, are still some of the most tragic characters JKR created.
13. Speaking of characters, I know Jo has described Snape as "a gift of a character", but I wonder if she honestly knows just what an incredible character she created. I am just selfishly thankful that she fleshed him out the way I so very much hoped she would.
14. The Malfoys. Still not exactly likeable, but finally *human*. I find myself pleased that they all survived.
15. Severus' death -- honestly, I'd have preferred it to be a bit more meaninful -- although that did surprise me, really didn't see it coming that way -- BUT.... Severus telling Harry "look at me", so that the final thing he sees in his life are Lily's eyes...... I'm bawling again now.....
16. Various YAAAYS: NEVILLE!!! PERCY!!!! ALL THE TEACHERS AT THE SIEGE OF HOGWARTS!
17. Harry's chat with Dumbledore, where Dumbledore apologizes to him and tells Harry he's the better man. Uhm, Albus? I think you need to have a very similar chat with Severus. (Someone write that please, won't you?)
18. This line on p 697: "He and Voldemort and Snape, the abandoned boys, had all found home here." Thank you! I didn't need the obvious similarities spelled out for me, personally, but I'm glad they were anyway.
I gotta take a breath and eat something now. And go forcibly cuddle poor woobie Little!Severus. ;-) More later!
everything else below cut for spoilers
This is completely and totally random, btw.
1. The late Mr & Mrs Remus Lupin -- What was the whole point of that? I didn't see that their deaths advanced the plot, and she certainly didn't wring any emotion out of it. Not compared to, say, Dobby's death, over which I bawled for a good 1/2 hour.
2. That was the STRAIGHT Remus Lupin that died there, BTW. The GAY Remus Lupin is still doing just fine. I expect the same goes for GAY Tonks as well.
3. Poor Tonks was just kind of wasted in this. She was such a cool character in OOTP, and then... bleah.
4. But that's OK, because in DH we have Super!Hermione! (Not that that's a bad thing, really.
5. LOVED the background on Dumbledore and his family. LOVED!
6. Finding out Snape's Patronus was the doe? NEVER saw that one coming, and when that was revealed, I actually jumped to my feet with some sort of loud exclamation. I always figured it would be either a snake or a phoenix, but especially after the way Albus treated/used/abused poor Severus, I love that it was the doe. That totally blew me away.
7a. The entire chapter "The Tale of The Prince". Damn. I started crying again just writing those words. Obviously my favorite chapter in the entire book, even if it did scoop my heart out and hack it up into little bitty pieces. For once, I approve of the way GrandPre drew Severus -- @ 9 years old. I wanted to pick little Severus up the moment I saw him, run away with him, feed him, cuddle him; and that need/desire did not abate AT All no matter how old he got. **Just as we have always known** that poor little snake needs some serious remedial love and affection. And OMG, he was so adorable, with his imperious demeanor in his mis-matched clothes. WAAAAHHHHHH!
7b. OK -- did the memories in that chapter seem familiar to anyone else? Maybe because we've already read so many of them in fanfic? ;-) Man, either Jo's been reading our comms the last few years, or a number of writers *seriously* pegged the Snape/Lily and Snape/DD relationships some time ago.
7c. And ohhh, thank god we were right!!!! As you know from my earlier posts, I was just cringing that Severus was going to turn out to be the evil, mustache-twirling baddie, so I was so thankful and relieved and happy that he was Dumbledore's man after all. (Not that Albus deserved him, you understand.)
8. Albus Severus; has Lily's eyes; "the bravest man I ever knew" = WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *totally bawling again now*
9. Oh yeah, speaking of bawling again: DOBBY!!!! WAHHHHHHH! One of the most poignant death scenes I think I've ever read. And Luna's speech at the his grave. *sniff*
10. Harry telling Voldy -- and everyone else -- that Snape was really a good guy. I just wish we'd gotten to see more reaction, especially from the other teachers, and WHY when they're talking about the fallen, **doesn't anyone go get Severus's body out of the Shrieking Shack?**
11. And OMG, Severus died in the Shrieking Shack! Where he almost met death 20 years before!!! (Considering what I wrote in "Destination", I got a bit of a shiver when I realized that; even tho Lupin wasn't involved.
12. The Marauders. Somehow I just knew that no one from that era was going to make it through the book alive. All of them, esp Sirius, Pettigrew and Snape, are still some of the most tragic characters JKR created.
13. Speaking of characters, I know Jo has described Snape as "a gift of a character", but I wonder if she honestly knows just what an incredible character she created. I am just selfishly thankful that she fleshed him out the way I so very much hoped she would.
14. The Malfoys. Still not exactly likeable, but finally *human*. I find myself pleased that they all survived.
15. Severus' death -- honestly, I'd have preferred it to be a bit more meaninful -- although that did surprise me, really didn't see it coming that way -- BUT.... Severus telling Harry "look at me", so that the final thing he sees in his life are Lily's eyes...... I'm bawling again now.....
16. Various YAAAYS: NEVILLE!!! PERCY!!!! ALL THE TEACHERS AT THE SIEGE OF HOGWARTS!
17. Harry's chat with Dumbledore, where Dumbledore apologizes to him and tells Harry he's the better man. Uhm, Albus? I think you need to have a very similar chat with Severus. (Someone write that please, won't you?)
18. This line on p 697: "He and Voldemort and Snape, the abandoned boys, had all found home here." Thank you! I didn't need the obvious similarities spelled out for me, personally, but I'm glad they were anyway.
I gotta take a breath and eat something now. And go forcibly cuddle poor woobie Little!Severus. ;-) More later!