Harry Potter and the Multiple Set-Pieces
Jul. 22nd, 2007 03:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rich_jackoWow, who'd have thought that Voldemort would turn out to be Harry's dad? ;o)
Sorry, I'll stop. Here's my inevitable Book 7 review:
It's a somewhat strange feeling reading the last Harry Potter book, knowing this is where it all ends, and that the last decade's worth of plot threads will all be wrapped up. It was an equal mix of satisfaction at seeing things resolved that I'd guessed right, and unexpected surprises that I didn't see coming (particularly with regard to one character).
I had no desire to race through this one quickly. And so, for the second night in a row, I stayed up until 2.30am for this book, when I finally finished. But it was well worth it. I wanted to savour every last detail, pausing every now and then to try to figure things out, and flicking back through the previous books when I needed to.
And I definitely needed to. JKR has done a fantastic job of pulling this gargantuan story arc together. Things that were obviously significant at the time are explained. Things that seemed completely trivial are given newfound importance, right the way back to the early chapters of Book 1. I flicked back to passages in every single one of the books so far (Yes, even the two Comic Relief ones!) to check back on past clues and references.
Unlike the previous three, I can honestly say that HPatDH is not too long. Free of a lot of the usual repetitive baggage, it rattles along at a terrific pace, lurching from one spectacular and inventive set-piece to another. The danger is constant and as great as it has ever been. I felt that VoldeHe Who (Really!) Must Not Be Named was around every corner, ready to jump out at any time.
It is well documented that the series has got darker as it goes on, and this is the darkest and most intense yet. The 'major character body count' is far, far higher than the two deaths we were led to believe by the advance publicity. I actually lost count of the number of old favourites who met their heroic and tragic end. This is a race to the finish, and the kid gloves are definitely off. Anyone can die at any point.
It may be dark, but it's also terrific fun - This is a grand adventure that constantly thrills and entertains. HPatDH is full of Dark Wizards, Dementors, explosions, Dragons, castles, Elves, Goblins, giant spiders, love and loss, life and death, and more magical MacGuffins than you can shake a wand at. JKR is often accused of being unoriginal and re-hashing old inventions, but this rather misses the point.
Her amazing achievement has been to introduce a new audience to well-loved myths and ideas. For those who are already familiar with them, she has forged them into a whole new mythology. Harry's world is rich and full of detail from centuries worth of folk tales and legends.
When the story is as well-crafted and as instantly readable as this one is, dealing with Big Themes whilst still peppered with terrific action and jokes, you can't help but love it. Mind you, having recently bought and watched Hot Fuzz again on DVD, I found it hard to take any mention of "the greater good" seriously ;o)
Astonishingly, bar one or two minor exceptions, none of the huge cast of characters feel to have been short-changed. Everyone has their story arc and everyone is given a satisfactory ending, without it feeling overlong or contrived (Makers of certain summer movies, take note!). All the Big Questions are answered. There's just enough left unexplained to keep fans speculating over for ever, and probably enough Polyjuice Potion escapades to keep slashfic writers going for years ;o)
It's not all perfect - The bickering between the main heroes has been done to death in previous books, and is now just plain irritating (though mercifully brief). Interrupting the final showdown with a lengthy flashback/exposition chapter (which didn't reveal anything I hadn't already guessed after reading Book 6) slowed the pace at a critical point and was a big mistake.
But these blips were forgiven as I got to the final chapters. Everything came together so beautifully, so perfectly, linking every thread of Harry's long adventures right the way back to the events of that fateful Hallowe'en sixteen years earlier. Looking back now, it's hard to see how it all could possibly have been resolved any differently. Yet it was also so unexpected, so full of twists and turns and such an emotional rollercoaster. Rarely have I read anything this good.
I didn't cry. Much. Actually I was more upset by events earlier on than by the ending itself. Though I did make use of a considerable amount of rum to get me through to the very end...
"This isn't your average book," said Ron. "It's pure gold."
EDIT: It's entirely possible there may be spoilers in comments, over which I have no control - Naughty Ju! ;op
Sorry, I'll stop. Here's my inevitable Book 7 review:
It's a somewhat strange feeling reading the last Harry Potter book, knowing this is where it all ends, and that the last decade's worth of plot threads will all be wrapped up. It was an equal mix of satisfaction at seeing things resolved that I'd guessed right, and unexpected surprises that I didn't see coming (particularly with regard to one character).
I had no desire to race through this one quickly. And so, for the second night in a row, I stayed up until 2.30am for this book, when I finally finished. But it was well worth it. I wanted to savour every last detail, pausing every now and then to try to figure things out, and flicking back through the previous books when I needed to.
And I definitely needed to. JKR has done a fantastic job of pulling this gargantuan story arc together. Things that were obviously significant at the time are explained. Things that seemed completely trivial are given newfound importance, right the way back to the early chapters of Book 1. I flicked back to passages in every single one of the books so far (Yes, even the two Comic Relief ones!) to check back on past clues and references.
Unlike the previous three, I can honestly say that HPatDH is not too long. Free of a lot of the usual repetitive baggage, it rattles along at a terrific pace, lurching from one spectacular and inventive set-piece to another. The danger is constant and as great as it has ever been. I felt that VoldeHe Who (Really!) Must Not Be Named was around every corner, ready to jump out at any time.
It is well documented that the series has got darker as it goes on, and this is the darkest and most intense yet. The 'major character body count' is far, far higher than the two deaths we were led to believe by the advance publicity. I actually lost count of the number of old favourites who met their heroic and tragic end. This is a race to the finish, and the kid gloves are definitely off. Anyone can die at any point.
It may be dark, but it's also terrific fun - This is a grand adventure that constantly thrills and entertains. HPatDH is full of Dark Wizards, Dementors, explosions, Dragons, castles, Elves, Goblins, giant spiders, love and loss, life and death, and more magical MacGuffins than you can shake a wand at. JKR is often accused of being unoriginal and re-hashing old inventions, but this rather misses the point.
Her amazing achievement has been to introduce a new audience to well-loved myths and ideas. For those who are already familiar with them, she has forged them into a whole new mythology. Harry's world is rich and full of detail from centuries worth of folk tales and legends.
When the story is as well-crafted and as instantly readable as this one is, dealing with Big Themes whilst still peppered with terrific action and jokes, you can't help but love it. Mind you, having recently bought and watched Hot Fuzz again on DVD, I found it hard to take any mention of "the greater good" seriously ;o)
Astonishingly, bar one or two minor exceptions, none of the huge cast of characters feel to have been short-changed. Everyone has their story arc and everyone is given a satisfactory ending, without it feeling overlong or contrived (Makers of certain summer movies, take note!). All the Big Questions are answered. There's just enough left unexplained to keep fans speculating over for ever, and probably enough Polyjuice Potion escapades to keep slashfic writers going for years ;o)
It's not all perfect - The bickering between the main heroes has been done to death in previous books, and is now just plain irritating (though mercifully brief). Interrupting the final showdown with a lengthy flashback/exposition chapter (which didn't reveal anything I hadn't already guessed after reading Book 6) slowed the pace at a critical point and was a big mistake.
But these blips were forgiven as I got to the final chapters. Everything came together so beautifully, so perfectly, linking every thread of Harry's long adventures right the way back to the events of that fateful Hallowe'en sixteen years earlier. Looking back now, it's hard to see how it all could possibly have been resolved any differently. Yet it was also so unexpected, so full of twists and turns and such an emotional rollercoaster. Rarely have I read anything this good.
I didn't cry. Much. Actually I was more upset by events earlier on than by the ending itself. Though I did make use of a considerable amount of rum to get me through to the very end...
"This isn't your average book," said Ron. "It's pure gold."
EDIT: It's entirely possible there may be spoilers in comments, over which I have no control - Naughty Ju! ;op
