In case you are not a frequent visitor of my blog and thus unaware, I spent the latter part of last year and the early part of this year reading all the Harry Potter books and watching all the Harry Potter movies for the first time ever. I have really enjoyed my experience and am so happy that now I understand all HP references and don’t have to worry any more about spoilers!
I wanted to discuss briefly my feelings on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, book and movies, and then give a bit of a recap on my feelings of the series overall.
On the Thursday I intended to start reading The Deathly Hallows, I got some bad news that ended up kind of working out for me. I felt pretty terrible the night before, and woke up feeling not significantly better, so I decided to go to a walk-in clinic. I ended up testing positive for strep throat and was instructed to stay home for the next two days. So while I didn’t feel so great, and would have rather been at work than not feeling good, after taking my first antibiotic and a quick nap, I was feeling well enough to start reading.
And in my time home sick, I devoured this book. A book that would have normally taken two weeks to read over my lunch breaks took me just slightly over 2 days at home (a friend of mine told me recently that he read this book in 4 hours, and I pretty much hate him for that because I don’t even know how that’s humanly possible). So while I wonder if I might have had a problem with all that camping out had I taken my time to read this book, I had no problem with it while reading it in large chunks. In fact, I really never wanted to put the book down. I was completely engaged and wanted to know exactly what was going to happen.
Truly, all the fantastic character moments in this book was what I had been waiting the whole series for. Everyone who’s read Harry Potter talks about how much they love the characters, and while reading this book I completely understood why. I don’t even know how to express in words my strong love for Hermione, Luna, and Neville now, but I think you guys understand. And I had somehow (thankfully) been spared of details of how it all went down between Harry and Voldemort, and all I can say is WOW.
And the movies? They were near flawless. Seriously, again, these were the Harry Potter movies I had been waiting for! I gave them both 4.5 stars, which considering I pretty much only give a movie 5 stars if I know it’s going to be one of my absolute faves, is pretty dang good. There were a lot less changes, and the ones they had didn’t bother me. Like that scene of Harry and Hermione dancing? LOVE. And that cute Neville and Luna thing? Oh yeah, you know the director totally shipped them (me too!).
I will voice one opinion I have that will not be popular. I still don’t really get the Snape thing. I will say, I thought I could never forgive him or find him redeemable and actually found myself doing so (but he was still a bullying jerk to Harry and it was not cool), so that’s not “the Snape thing” I’m referring to. It’s referring mostly to these famous lines…
After all this time?
Always.
When I read those words I was like, “Wait? What?” I was confused as heck. He’s just cast a Patronus and is talking to Dumbledore. This exchange made literally no sense to me. I had a hunch, and it was right, but until it was spelled-out I felt myself frustrated for reading these famous lines and not feeling whatever it was I was supposed to feel. So just that moment being over-hyped kind of made me not care for it much. And really, why does this surprise Dumbledore? It’s clear Snape isn’t Harry’s number one fan, and that his motivation to care about him at all in the first place would still be in tact otherwise he would have pulled the ripcord and gone back to Voldemort the second he had the chance.
All in all though, I was extremely satisfied with the series. The ending was pretty close to perfection. I understand all the love, it’s well deserved. Bravo, J.K., bravo.
Overall assessment…
My ranking of the books:
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (5 stars)
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (5 stars)
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (4.5 stars)
4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (4.5 stars)
5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (4.5 stars)
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (4 stars)
7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (3.5 stars)
My ranking of the movies:
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 (4.5 stars for both)
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (4 stars)
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (4 stars)
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (4 stars)
5/6. (tie) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone/Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (I don’t remember the differences enough to choose one over the other) (3.5 stars for both)
7. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (3 stars)
And then of course, like everyone else, I have fantasized about living in Harry’s world, going to Hogwarts, and all that jazz. After I finished the book I signed up for Pottermore solely for to get my official House Sorting. I knew it was between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and I had even taken an “are you a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff quiz” shortly before and gotten Ravenclaw, but the Sorting Hat spoke and…
Even before I read the series I was aware of the Hufflepuff hate, so this sorting made me a little less excited than I feel it should have. I mean, Hufflepuffs are good people. They are loyal and hardworking. For some reason people don’t like that. Cedric was a good guy. So, whateves. I’ll claim it.
Also: like half the reason why I wanted to be Ravenclaw so I could be BFF’s with Luna, which I think ironically just proves I’m probably more Hufflepuff.
What are your thoughts on The Deathly Hallows book and movies? Who are your favorite characters? Which house do you belong in?
Very glad you enjoyed the Harry Potter books, this post has made me want to read them all again! To my surprise, Pottermore put me in Slytherin. I was sure I’d be a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw!
If Pottermore had put me in Slytherin I would have fallen out of my chair in shock!
I nearly did!
Hufflepuff pride! I was sorted before I went to Universal Studios and Harry Potter World, and I am pretty happy being a puff. 😀
I don’t know, the Snape scene wrecked me in the movie, and the book too. I guess I just am a softie after all. And yes, he was such a jerk to Harry, but I think it was because he saw so much of Harry’s dad in him and Snape couldn’t get over it. So, conflicted feelings. I give him a pass, but totally see your point of view on it.
And I love Luna — she’s one of my favorite characters and I always wanted more! I think I need to re-watch the movies now.
Yay for Hufflepuffs! I think the biggest hesitation I actually have is those house colors. :/ Oh well. And now that I’ve read all the books and seen all the movies I definitely need to go to Harry Potter world!
They are bad colors. I so agree. And you should go if you get the chance. It was fabulous.
Deathly Hallows is my favorite too! I want to read them all over again! : (
It was so good!
I would love to be able to go back and experience the Harry Potter books for the first time! I remember getting HBP at a midnight release party and finishing it before the sun had fully risen. Deathly Hallows I probably read in one sitting. Which, looking back at how long the book is, I don’t even know how I did it! Just INHALED it, basically! The camping didn’t bother me the first time for the same reason — I was reading so fast I didn’t notice. It’s only upon rereading the books that I’ve come to understand what people mean about the first few hundred pages dragging … but, man, once they get to Hogwarts it’s a full-on adrenaline ride right to the end.
I also TOTALLY agree with your less than shining assessment of Snape. That he did everything out of (unrequited, unreturned) love for Lily I guess explains his motivations to protect Harry, but it doesn’t excuse that he was a grown man, in a position of power, bullying children day in and day out. I get where Snape fans are coming from, but I just can’t excuse a teacher ever treating a student the way Snape treated Neville, for instance. He’s a fascinating character, but not a good guy!
That is some crazy fast reading! And I’m glad someone agrees with me about Snape!
I have loved Harry Potter for such a long time now. I grew up with the books and the anticipation for every new released book and movie, so it holds a special place in my heart. I thought the ending of the series was simply the best. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to conclude everything 🙂 I’m a proud Ravenclaw member! I always get sorted there and I think I would be in the right place. My favorite character has always been Snape (I know, I know) and I also adore Hermione because who can’t relate to her? Luna is adorable too and I totally shipped her with Neville in the movie too!
I can definitely relate to Hermione as I was always the one studying all the time!
Aww, so wonderful that you’ve gotten to the end – and I’m happy that you were able to read Deathly Hallows in a short amount of time – I think it mirrors most people’s reading of that book. I just kept reading too – it was a long time to wait for the final chapter. But I agree that it was totally satisfying, especially with the character development!
I’ve always been sorted into Ravenclaw before with the quizzes that were floating around, and funnily enough when I went to Pottermore I was sorted into Slytherin! Which was NOT okay… but more recently – so a couple years later- I created a new account and was sorted into Ravenclaw. So I’m going to say that the sorting hat software got it’s act together now. 😀
Sheesh, did it used to sort everyone into Slytherin, I wonder? I can definitely see you as a Ravenclaw though!
I actually never wanted to read Harry Potter! But, for lack of books I read the first book once, and completely got hooked to it! I went through the books really fast and then when I came to the Deathly Hallows, I just couldn’t find it anywhere. Luckily the local library had the book lying in an abandoned rack and I found it. I finished it off in 5 hrs or so!
The movies were great as well!
I went on to Pottermore with two accounts by accident. In one of them, I turned out to be Slytherin!!! I paid more attention in the second one and answered more truthfully, and the Sorting Hat said Gryffindor!!!
That’s why it took me so long to read it too, I never had a strong interest until recently! And you read DH almost as freakishly fast as my friend, ha ha!
Oh, I’m tempted to try the second account, just to see, though I feel like I was pretty truthful! I might change one or two answers though.
*high five* I’m a Hufflepuff too! Nothing wrong with that 😉 Honestly, I can’t pick a favorite character. I love the trio of ladies though: Ginny, Luna, and Hermione. All of them are so distinct from each other, but I just love their personalities!
I never fell in love with Ginny, but I love the other ladies! And Mrs. Weasley! She’s awesome!
Aw shucks, this post makes me wanna rewatch all the HP movies! Pottermore sorted me into Ravenclaw when it first launched… I tried a new account (just for the fun of it) recently and it sorted me into Gryffindor! But I don’t feel very “brave at heart” so I just kept using my original account, lol. My favourite characters have always been the twins and I was devastated at the end of series. Seeing their shop in the movies was also my favourite moment! <3
Did you see the other day where JK apologized about Fred?! It was sad, I mean, they belong together! And that shop was great!
I am so glad you loved the series. I agree that I didn’t really catch the “always” that some people made so important. But it is cute when put out there by itself.
I read these over and over because I loved them so much.
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t really catch it! I probably would have glossed it over completely had it not already been a well-known line.
Yay another Harry Potter fan! I started watching the movies after the 6th one came out and watched all those right in a row. Loved them! Then I didn’t want to wait for the 7th movie to come out so I actually read the 7th book even though I hadn’t read any of the previous books. Luckily the movies were so close to the books! I really enjoyed reading the 7th book though 🙂
Have you read books 1-6 since then? Even though The Deathly Hallows is my favorite it’s definitely worth reading the others!
Ahh, yay! I’m so glad you loved it, it’s such a fantastic conclusion to the series. Deathly Hallows is my favorite too(looking at your list, I think we rank the books in similar, but not identical orders. For me, Azkaban is 2nd only to Deathly Hallows, then GoF, and Order of the Phoenix is my least favorite–it’s the only one I have any actual writing issues with). Pottermore sorted me into Gryffindor, SEVERAL times because I refused to believe I could be anything but Ravenclaw(which is kinda funny to think about because stubbornness, while of course not limited to one house, is definitely kinda a Gryffindor quality). I think I ended up with 5 Pottermore accounts and every single time I got Gryffindor except once, and that time was Hufflepuff, which was laughable(not because I am anti-Hufflepuff! Hufflepuffs get a bad rap. I am just SO NOT ONE. Like, out of all four houses, it is the one I think I would put myself in last). So, I’ve embraced my Gryffindor side now.
PS–sorry if this was a duplicate comment, I tried to comment a minute ago but the button never got past “posting comment”, so I don’t think it did, but sometimes wordpress can be tricky with things like that, I know.
Looks like you’re good on the comment, though I understand; I hate when it does that! Being a Gryffindor would be great! I think I have a little of that in me (in fact I have been sorted that way by one quiz) but I’ve got a lot more Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff!
THIS POST GIVES ME LIFE! You know I finished the books at the very end of last year and I started the movies during this past semester…but never got far. I honestly can’t even remember what movie I’m at, but it’s not far. But your reaction to the last books were like mine (I went to Pottermore straight away too….Hufflepuffs unite! Also, I reluctantly claim it too). Like I said, I haven’t watched the last movies, but I’m looking forward to it. My plan is to knock it out this summer! The characters are just fantastic, I want to hug them!
After seeing how many blogger friends are Hufflepuffs it makes me happier! So yay, Hufflepuffs unite! The latter movies really are better than the earlier ones, but especially those last two! Can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
the only reason I got the Snape lines because, and I don’t remember which book this is in, but Tonks patronus changes after she falls in love with Lupin. So his patronus being a doe said what a lot of the words didn’t. But yeah, even though you come out the end seeing Snape differently than expected, he was still a jerk. He did good things too that were often misunderstood. But sometimes he also just did mean things and that isn’t explained from a different perspective or undone. Oh, but I totally like him better because he’s Alan Rickman!! So, the actor makes me like the character quite a bit more.
Deathly Hallows is totally my favorite book and my favorite movies. I like part 1 but when I reread the books, I pretty much always start at Malfoy Manor because that’s where I think it gets interesting. And I have my issues with the whole expelliarmus thing but overall the ending was really well played 🙂
I liked in the movie when they added one word from Dumbledore just to make the “Always” thing clearer, which is he first asks, “Lily?” before saying, “After all this time?” I just would have appreciated that in the book.