Let’s get one thing out of the way right now: that epilogue
is pretty awful, what with the side-eyes between Harry and Draco and the
everyone-having-a-zillion-kids. I read it once (and once will dooooo), so I’m ignoring
it this time around.
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That's right, JK, I said NO. |
When Amycus spits at McGonagall and Harry is like, ::whips off cloak:: “you shouldn’t have done that!” and McGonagall is all, “Harry! Don’t be so gallant!” and then he’s like, “He SPIT at you!” NICE JOB, HARRY. Because like hell you spit at McGonagall and get away with it. Like. hell.
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Exactly. |
There are so many gorgeous parallels in this part of the
book. Like when, Ron freaks out about needing to get past the Whomping Willow and Hermione is all,
“Are you a wizard or what?" Turnabout: it's fair play, Weasley. And in Snape's memories where he's on the train with Lily, and James says, "I think if I were in Slytherin, I'd go home, wouldn't you?" Which, we've heard someone say something like that before... ::glares at Draco:: So basically Snape is Harry's foil, not Voldemort, who is just a regular ol' fashioned enemy, and James is Draco's foil. Ouch my brain.
At some point JK gives in to herself and actually lets someone talk about what a long game someone has been playing (I ran out of paper flags before this point so no quote for you!), and to that I say, well played indeed, Lady Jo.
At some point JK gives in to herself and actually lets someone talk about what a long game someone has been playing (I ran out of paper flags before this point so no quote for you!), and to that I say, well played indeed, Lady Jo.
I don't really have a transition here, so now we come to all the SADS that hit me right in my solar plexus:
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OMG |
Snape telling Harry to look at him while he dies... because of Lily's eyes... those eyes that never saw him, never knew he longed to hold her close, to live at last, in Lilllllyyyyyy's eeeeeyes...
There are fresh tearstains next to the 2007 ones at the part where Percy comes back and Fred is the one to forgive him - but MORE this time because I knew what was coming and that made it WORSE (tbh I cried every time Fred showed up in this book), and then they’re joking – Percy! Joking! – and then… the world blows apart. Don’t try to tell me JK didn’t mean that figuratively as well as literally; she definitely did because she will kill what we love.
The line about the three homeless boys who made Hogwarts their home hurts a bit, doesn't it?
And Bellatrix’s laugh is like Sirius’s because they are cousins and sometimes families have weird little things in common including the way they die.
Let’s talk about mothers in these books, SHALL WE?
That’s pretty much it, really. The mothers are all BAMFs.
AND SO WE COME TO THE END. I am clinging to next week as the Last Week because I'm not ready yet.
AND SO WE COME TO THE END. I am clinging to next week as the Last Week because I'm not ready yet.
11 out of 11 Blibbering Humdingers*
*I really hope someone else is going to cover Luna and the Malfoy's family structure, because they DESERVE IT.
kayleigh m · 615 weeks ago
I noticed the Hermione/Ron flip and I also really liked that he Wingardium'd and she was like "perfect" and it took me back to the first when he was mocking her for being all smarty-pantsy and they were so teeny and innocent and SOB!
Tikabelle 87p · 615 weeks ago
My little brother spit on me once, and even though I've FORGIVEN him, I've never FORGOTTEN. (He was 4.)
libereadingrayna 58p · 615 weeks ago
BLIBBERING HUMDINGERS! Excellent.
And yeah, I don't mind the epilogue, but... Eh. It's just kind of there and I think JKR just wanted to give a little parallel to the beginning of the book. It gives me hope that one day she will write a series about Albus Severus and his magical quest to change his name (or something). Also, Harry and Draco were clearly meant to be because they both gave their kids horrible horrible names. Scorpius??? It's pretty much guaranteed that child will be the spawn of satan.
Tikabelle 87p · 615 weeks ago
Emily · 615 weeks ago
The epilogue is asinine. I don't think there's a single other, better word for it. Asinine.
But moving on the stuff that REALLY matters in this book. OMG, Fred and Percy? And then you can't say fairer than that, and then percy makes a JOKE and Fred gives him props, then BAM. I'm with you--I was constantly on the verge of tears from the moment Percy showed up, and then I lost it.
Hagrid really should have been included in the line about the lost boys of Hogwarts.
I've always felt that the real tension in the books was Snape/Harry as hero/anti-hero. And that's why Snape's death upset me so much in this book. I have no real problem with his dying as part of the story arc--I get that. But it was the WAY he died that eliminated his real chance of redemption with Harry while still alive. I could go on. Guess what? I did, in my own post...
Tikabelle 87p · 615 weeks ago
YES omg. Yes. But 4 is a weirder number than 3 in Western culture (all cultures? Hmmm...) so 3 it is.
I think the hero/anti-hero tension is more interesting than the hero/villain tension, for sure. I am off to read your post! :D
jennysbooks 89p · 615 weeks ago
Tikabelle 87p · 615 weeks ago
readingrambo 112p · 615 weeks ago
jennysbooks 89p · 615 weeks ago
Kayleigh V · 615 weeks ago
What Red Read 121p · 615 weeks ago
yes about the mother's love powering over evil. And when it's absent (like with Merope and Tom Riddle) shit does not go well.
Tikabelle 87p · 615 weeks ago
readingrambo 112p · 615 weeks ago
The spitting on McGonagall thing was something I HADN'T remembered from the first readthrough of the book and was obviously completely appalled by, but really Harry? Cruciatus? Not okay.
Laura · 615 weeks ago
The mothers ARE all BAMFs. Especially the-ghost-of-Lily, who turns out to be pretty important in all the ways. Oh, Lily :(
Meg · 615 weeks ago
"I can't walk into Herbology and give him LOVE." (Because of course...that's ALL any of us want to do. Walk into Herbology and give Neville love...inappropriate-for-children love.)
"You were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts..." and something about the Slytherin one being the bravest man he ever knew. (WEEEEPS)
Tikabelle 87p · 615 weeks ago
I forgot about that walking into Herbology and giving Neville love part. I am WITH you there.
What Red Read 121p · 615 weeks ago
Kayleigh V · 615 weeks ago
No one spits on McGonagall.
Jennifer · 615 weeks ago