Confessional Lutheran theology, hagiography, philosophy, music, culture, sports, education,
and whatever else is on the fevered mind of Orycteropus Afer
21 July 2007
The Deathly Hallows ... No Spoilers
J. K. Rowling Does Herself Proud
I went to Barnes & Noble for the big midnight roll-out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I finally got to the front of the line and bought the book around 1:20 a.m. and returned home near 2:15. I read it for a while, falling asleep around four, then got up and worked in some more reading while taking the kids to the optometrist and getting my car serviced. After getting some office-type work done, I took the kids to the pool, swam a bit, and resumed reading. After returning home, I got a bit more done, then sat down to finish the book.
For a while, I thought I might have guessed wrong, but I ended up on the money when imagining which two major characters would die — and was pretty close on why the first was killed. I know now that major is a relative term, since several very important "minor" characters also perished before book's end.
If you've invested time, energy, and care in reading the previous six books, I hope you have time for the tears that will overtake you throughout the seventh. There are plenty of plot twists and "aha" moments, plus a few ugly revelations. However, you'll end up solving the riddle along with the book's cast — and know that the ending is "right" — if you realize that things happen as they should according to Albus Dumbledore's words to Harry: "If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love."
So is it Lutheran? Christian? Obviously not — and who would seriously argue otherwise? However, as a complex yet ultimately edifying morality tale, Deathly Hallows, even more than the other Potter books, certainly delivers.
Technorati Tags: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows | Deathly Hallows | Harry Potter | Albus Dumbledore | Dumbledore | Lord Voldemort | Voldemort | Tom Riddle | J. K. Rowling | sin | judgment | love | literature | children's literature | book | books | Christianity | Christian | Lutheran | Lutheranism | morality tale ¶ 20:15 |
I went to Barnes & Noble for the big midnight roll-out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I finally got to the front of the line and bought the book around 1:20 a.m. and returned home near 2:15. I read it for a while, falling asleep around four, then got up and worked in some more reading while taking the kids to the optometrist and getting my car serviced. After getting some office-type work done, I took the kids to the pool, swam a bit, and resumed reading. After returning home, I got a bit more done, then sat down to finish the book.
For a while, I thought I might have guessed wrong, but I ended up on the money when imagining which two major characters would die — and was pretty close on why the first was killed. I know now that major is a relative term, since several very important "minor" characters also perished before book's end.
If you've invested time, energy, and care in reading the previous six books, I hope you have time for the tears that will overtake you throughout the seventh. There are plenty of plot twists and "aha" moments, plus a few ugly revelations. However, you'll end up solving the riddle along with the book's cast — and know that the ending is "right" — if you realize that things happen as they should according to Albus Dumbledore's words to Harry: "If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love."
So is it Lutheran? Christian? Obviously not — and who would seriously argue otherwise? However, as a complex yet ultimately edifying morality tale, Deathly Hallows, even more than the other Potter books, certainly delivers.
Technorati Tags: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows | Deathly Hallows | Harry Potter | Albus Dumbledore | Dumbledore | Lord Voldemort | Voldemort | Tom Riddle | J. K. Rowling | sin | judgment | love | literature | children's literature | book | books | Christianity | Christian | Lutheran | Lutheranism | morality tale ¶ 20:15 |
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What gets me is that I heard that psychologists are being prepared to deal with people traumatized by the fact that one or two characters are being killed off. I mean, this is a STORY, not real life!
I'm in the middle of re-reading the series so that I can more fully enjoy the finale...thanks for not spoiling it for me.
You definitely have to bring a box of tissues for this book ... Though it may have been my favorite of the series.
I was on the "front lines" of this book, as well as the three previous. Thanks for going to BN, by the way, thanks for helping my paycheck.
I kept waiting for the important character to die. I didn't cry, per se, but I did have a few "aww, man, not that character!" moments.
I felt it was a bit rushed at times and didn't answer some of my big questions, but on the whole it Rowling did a fairly decent job of tidying up some of her messes. I'd give it a B.
Azkakaban is still my favorite.
I kept waiting for the important character to die. I didn't cry, per se, but I did have a few "aww, man, not that character!" moments.
I felt it was a bit rushed at times and didn't answer some of my big questions, but on the whole it Rowling did a fairly decent job of tidying up some of her messes. I'd give it a B.
Azkakaban is still my favorite.
While I enjoyed the book there were a few things that kind of bugged me. I won't discuss them hear so as not to ruin your attempt at no spoilers, but I did bring them up on my own blog.
Definitely a winner. I have some friends who are befuddled by the response these books have received. For me, JKR is simply a great storyteller. Sure there are some grand ideas in the books - which is true of every example of great prose.
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