HP 7 thoughts

First of all, if I didn’t mention before, Fallofrain is way cool in person, and I would love to hang with her again. I am also sad I missed hanging out with Emily and Belinda. This must be remedied soonish.

What struck me (and I know this is deranged of me, but still) was the number of kids at my area bookstore. It seems I’ve been inurred to HP wank coming from grown ass adults, so it was a nice sense of perspective to realize that the target audience is significantly younger than most of those wanking.

Anyway, I got a version of the book this morning from a friend who is a bookshare member and have been immersed in HP all day.

• The tone of this book is definitely starting out pretty dark. I like it, and it’s kind of interesting to see how JKR’s style has changed.

• Although I think she’s not so good at the foreshadowing. I’m fairly certain I know who betrayed Harry and the gang at the Dursleys.
• Dudley Dursley redeemed himself. That’s kind of nifty.
• We get to meet Luna’s father. I love him.
• I also love Aunt Muriel.
• JKR does do some lovely rivetting action scenes, although I do get a bit irked with her plot contrivances.
• Chapter 19 must have really pissed off the Harmonians.
• After a certain point, I kept wanting to substitute the word ‘wang’ for the word ‘wand’ every time it appeared. Because I am twelve like that.
• “knocking the shrieking goblins aside
  like skittles”… Best! simile! ever!

• I think Hermione’s Bag of Holding is possibly the lamest plot device ever.
• On the other hand, Aberforth Dumbledore is snarky and awesome.
• Y halo thar, Exposition Fairy. Haven’t seen you in at least two chapters.
• Oh, Neville! I am going to love you even more than I already do, aren’t I? Oh, yes, yes I totally am.
• Answering a riddle to get into Ravenclaw is kind of cool. Although it’s weird to think of Ravenclaw as not containing a well-stocked bar (thank you Hogwarts Hocus)
• Percy’s reunion with his family? Well played.
• The book’s gone about how I expected it would, even without reading spoilers. But that being said, I love Rowling’s final chapters.
• Fred’s death? I have to stop reading for a moment. “the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face”. *sobs and flails*
• How will Snape’s astral wives communicate with him now that he is dead?
• Remus and Tonks’ deaths are weirdly anticlimactic.
• I have to say, Arianna Dumbledore totally sounds like the name of a bad Mary Sue in fanfic. I am comforted by the fact that at least she is not called Arianna Dumbledore Snape Malfoy Potter Voldemort.
• Kid!Snape is kind of adorable, too.
• Awww, I have seen the light. Snape/Lily OTP!
• Y halo thar, exposition fairy! I see you’ve brought a friend, Deux Ex Machina.
• Dumbledore, you really are a jackass.
• Have I mentioned I <3 Neville?
• Yaxley is a funny name.
• Oh great. Hello, exposition fairy again.
• Oh great. The Harry is not really dead and still gets this book’s explanation from Dumbledore. This means I’m nearly done.
• He had to get all the information and the hallows at the right time? How conveeeeeeenient!
• I respect Narcissa Malfoy. Don’t much like her, but it’s nice that she cares about her whiny git of a kid and isn’t a complete sycophantic blowhard like, oh, say, her husband.
• I may have to kick Miles Vorkosigan out of the coveted spot of fictional boyfriend and put Neville there instead.
• I was wondering when Buckbeak would show up. There he is!
• Why did the cavalry show up now? Where was it several chapters ago?
• Still, I think the house elves joining the fray led by Kreacher is really awesome.
• “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” Yes! Yes, Molly, you go, girl!
• I snicker every time I read deathstick. I think once the DH furor dies down, I may have to list “deathstick” as an interest.
• And I am the only HP fan on the Internets so far who actually liked the epilogue. It was totally a fanservice, but it made me awww.

  Aaaand that’s the book, kids. I enjoyed today’s Potter emersion, and I will enjoy reading the wank tomorrow. I liked the book, but don’t know how I’d rate it. Probably a B+ because it was engaging and wonderful in parts, and definitely not meh, but still… not my favorite of the series.