Sean O Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I was pretty happy with 7, overall. I won't give any major spoilers, but I thought the ending was very well done. The first 450 pages or so just bored the hell out of me, in an Anna Karenina sort of way. The lack of progress was definitely made real by the lack of anything really interesting happening for hundreds of pages at a time. I'd say books 4 and 5 were my favorites, but book 7 was a worthy finale. I'd change some things around, especially book 7's similarities to the Ministry struggles of 5, but overall i'm content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thr33niL Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I was pretty happy with 7, overall. I won't give any major spoilers, but I thought the ending was very well done. The first 450 pages or so just bored the hell out of me, in an Anna Karenina sort of way. The lack of progress was definitely made real by the lack of anything really interesting happening for hundreds of pages at a time. I would have to agree so far. I just picked up the book on Sunday and am only through chapter 15 but my impressions thus far is there is a lot of filler surrounded by short spurts of action. I am liking it so far though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully04 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 As an avid reader of all books I have been a fan of Harry Potter for some time now. I picked this book up yesterday at about 2 pm, and I finished it at about 1:30 am. Very few books keep me reading at that pace. I have to say that book 7 had a lot of things in it that I saw coming, and had expected. On the other hand it still had a few surprises for me. Rowling managed to find a place between what was right for the story, and what her readers wanted, without compromising its integrity, something I hadn't thought possible. It is a fitting conclusion to some extraordinary story telling. I am satisfied, and somewhat disappointed that there won't, and there shouldn't, be any more in the series. Now I have to find something else to read. I had thought that book might last me longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ro290190 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I taught it was good not great. ******************SPOILER************************************** I didnt really unsderstand why the story about Dumbeldore's sister was included. **************SPOILER******************************************* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thr33niL Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I thought I was nuts getting through 300 pages my first afternoon with the book. Sully, you take the cake. haha. I do agree though that these books do have a nice hook. Even in the slow parts of the books, there is something that keeps a reader interested and wanted to know whats next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully04 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Yeah I'm a big book nerd. My biggest dream growing up was to live in a house with its own library. Still wouldn't mind as a matter of fact. This was one of those books that stood out on its own, and left me with a deep feeling of contentment after finishing it. As for the pace of my reading, I cant remember the last time I read a book that large that quickly. I've read quite a few books in a day, but most are half the size of this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northpaw Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 i know im gonna be attacked for this but....why is there such excitement about a book about a boy wizard? Just seems rediculous for people to be so crazy for just a story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully04 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I wont attack you, but I will say don't knock it till you've tried it. If you like books you'll likely enjoy these. There are people who seem to give the HP books a bad rap because there so popular or because they have a children's book stigma attached to them. However a story about a boy wizard isn't any more outlandish than most fiction written. Its certainly more reserved than Tolkien, or a great many of his imitators. To put it simply the its an amazing story, and its well told. The boy just happens to be a wizard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean O Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 i know im gonna be attacked for this but....why is there such excitement about a book about a boy wizard? Just seems rediculous for people to be so crazy for just a story. Well, why is there excitement over a murder in a Russian peasant village? Over an insignificant part of a future dystopia? Or a bunch of talking farm animals? Or a man's journey home after a long war? People are involved in the story because it is extraordinarily well done by any standard. I continually see allusions, whether intentional or not, to themes in Brothers Karamazov (book 7's treatment of Dumbledore, and his relationship to Harry closely mirror Zosima's relationship with Alyosha) and other great works, but with an accessibility and level of detail I have seen in nothing else. It is brilliant, and a classic. Rowling is a master storyteller, by any consideration. What other children's book have ever quoted Aeschylus in the introduction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroEric Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 It all comes down to Dostoevsky with you, doesn't it? I concur with the reviews so far. First half too long -- Rowling never was one for economy (at least she's not Tolkien). The left-field subplot with Dumbledore's Kaspar Hauser sister. The biggest problem with the book for me was the lack of Snape. He only gets two chapters, and one's a sort of hackish exposition chapter.... --Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean O Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I agree, I felt that Snape was going to be an extremely important part of the book. While I enjoyed the time he was in it, and can understand why it had to be this way, the book is always better when Snape has face time. MINI SPOILER: (highlight to read) One small detail I liked was the punishment given by Snape to Ginny and Neville when they attempted to steal the sword; sending them off to the forbidden forest with Hagrid is hardly punishment. Good little clue that he wasn't altogether evil. I also like that he dies prior to the revelation of his history, which I enjoyed even if I felt she could've alluded to Lily and Severus' relationship subtly in prior books. And yes, as Vonnegut wrote, everything there was to know about life was in The Brothers Karamazov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royal Blues Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Would it be frowned upon if I were to start a new spoiler-filled thread on this book, with a tag warning those who have not read it to stay out? I really want to comment on several scenes in the book and have an overall discussion on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ro290190 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Would it be frowned upon if I were to start a new spoiler-filled thread on this book, with a tag warning those who have not read it to stay out? I really want to comment on several scenes in the book and have an overall discussion on it. GO ahead just make sure that you give plenty of warnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean O Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 GO ahead just make sure that you give plenty of warnings. I'd like that. If it says very clearly HARRY POTTER SPOILER THREAD, then I can't imagine anyone would wander in unintentionally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroEric Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I'd like that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northpaw Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 ok...i was just wondering. Im a nonfiction reader and i really dislieke fiction, so fantasy fiction is even worse for me. I just never understood the whole reading make believe and made up names and things that could never happen but to each his own, its just not me. Which is weird because I love movies, fiction or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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