Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J.K. Rowling
Published by Arthur A. Levine
Publication Date July 21, 2007
Source: Bought
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads

Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing - if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfil the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him?

Even though I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling every year, this time it’s different.  With the up-coming last film approaching, it feels like an end to an era.    I promise I won’t go weepy-eyed on you, or at least I will try…

I cried, I laughed and then I cried some more.  I was like the theater comedy/tragedy masks.

The first time I read Deathly Hallows I read quickly to reach the epic and long-awaited conclusion and in hindsight didn’t enjoy it to the full potential it deserved.  This time I treated it like an old friend I hadn’t seen in many years and sat down to make up lost time.I could precede to gush about how wonderful the novel is, the complexity of the plot with its slow build-up and finely paced time-table, or the reveal of the fateful Halloween night and how it affected both our hero and our villain, “The Life And Lies of Albus Dumbledore”  or where Snape’s loyalties really lie.  But let’s face it, that’s been over done.

During this reread, as I gave myself more time to stop and smell the flowers so to speak picked up on a few similarities between two other classic novels; one being the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Tale of King Arther’s Excalibur.

One of the Horcruxes that Harry, Ron and Hermione must destroy is a locket, with each taking turns wearing it to be sure of its safety. While possessing the cursed token, they who wears it begins to experience morbid thoughts and becomes very paranoid. This reminds me of Frodo’s relationship with the One Ring, and Ron’s behavior has a hue of such nature. I even saw a glimpse of Sam in Harry, while he is not the sidekick of the book he manages to keep his cool and his companion on the quest at hand. Even when the locket had to be destroyed Ron had difficulty proceeding with the task, as did Frodo upon reaching the Fires of Mordor.

This leads us to Excalibur, To break the spell upon Horcuxes one must either use venom from a basilisk or the force of a very powerful sword once owned by Godric Gryffindor. Harry and Ron discover said sword in the water while in the Forest of Dean and must dive in the fringed water to claim it. As Only a true Gryffindor could achieve claiming of a valued sword, only the true King could pull Excalibur from the stone, with the impression that it would only be used in good. Like it’s six predecessors, Rowling manages to cleverly incorporate such subtleties into her works.

Unfortunately, I felt the ending was a bit of a cop-out.  It was more of a battle as to whether actions are stronger than words. Everything leads up to this final duel between Voldemort and Harry Potter and it was really just mediocre.  I don’t think it would be to much of a spoiler to say that in a sense the Dark Lord commits suicide.  I mentioned this to a friend who has only seen the movies and made a very interesting point. Despite Voldemort being the most powerful, darkest wizard of all time, committing such an act may tarnish Harry Potter’s image in many.  Would I really want Harry Potter to be a murderer?  No probably not.  So in that mindset the ending is very fitting and an excellent conclusion to The Boy Who Lived.