just needing to get this out of the system -

[oloriel]

---
Spoilers commence here.
---

AHAHAHAHAHAHA we were right about R.A.B.! And about Snape! And about Nagini and Harry being Horcruxes, too! And stuff!

And the book still managed to surprise me. A lot. And mostly in good ways.

But. Snaaaaape. ;___;

That was the bit I got spoiler-trolled about, and actually it didn't matter: actually it was good, when the time came, to be warned about that.

I'm disappointed that Neville only made it to Herbology professor, though. I'd always hoped he'd at least become DADA teacher, and I really liked fuchs' version of him being headmaster.

And what's with the stupid names? I mean. XENOPHILIUS. Or "Pius Thicknesse". Were we feeling a wee bit unsubtle?


---
Spoilers end here.
---


I do have to say, however, that I find it extremely annoying when I have to read loooooong passages in italics.

And now I go to bed.

Comments

[limyaael.livejournal.com]

Just finished the book.

Snape's death affected me more than I expected. (I wasn't spoilered, but I essentially decided two years ago that he was going to die die die, and that was about it). But for him to die that way, and never really know that Harry learned the truth about him and decided he was the bravest man he ever knew- which meant braver than Gryffindors like Dumbledore or his parents...damn. That got me.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I hadn't expected him to survive, but I hadn't expected Voldemort to kill him like that - I had guessed that either Voldemort would find out about the double-crossing or Harry would find Snape and kill him before finding out the truth - but now it was a combination of both. Heh.

Interestingly enough, Dobby's and Snape's death got me more than Tonk's and Lupin's. I suppose it's just because the latter two just... happened in a subordinate clause and that was it. But, well, interesting.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

*joins you in the ;___;ing*
*clings*

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
But I thought "Albus Severus" was a nice touch. Better than "Oscar"! ;)

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

*hugs back*

Yes. But Hugo?!? For Eru's sake, augh.

[dame_grise]

I really wasn't certain about him until the end, but I was prepared to be really mad at her if he turned out to be a baddie.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

*nods* I was hoping all through the book that she'd reveal in the end that he had acted on Dumbledore's orders, but I was so certain that even if she hadn't, I would've stuck to that belief ;)

[dame_grise]

I was glad we found out for certain though, and why.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Definitely. I really loved the hole Snape/Lily backstory. I had hoped for some sort of unrequited love story ever since that Pensieve episode in Order of the Phoenix, and it was GOOD to see it in print!

[dame_grise]

I sort of thought it was that too, though I know there are people who hate it.

[satismagic.livejournal.com]

Ha, I'm with you about long bits in italics. And there was a bit too much "outside the story" print-material in the story for my taste.

Re: Snape ... I've known for a long time that my favourite character wouldn't see the other side of book #7. But I still don't like it. Also, I think the death scene wasn't really good. Somehow it showed that JKR did not really like that character. And while I liked how Lily's character shone through in the backstory - sticking with a friend no matter what - I think it was too flat for Snape. But maybe it's only my own imagination that has turned him into one of the most complex characters of the series.

The mixture of "I knew it!" and "I told you so!" moments and "WTF is going on now?" was pretty cool. I really admire JKR for that.

What I'm really curious about is if she will ever write another book. I think she said at one point that she might write a mystery thriller with no fantasy elements. After HP that idea certainly sounds weird.

[yueni]

In my opinion, I think Snape has always been one of the most layered characters in HP. We've always been tantalised with the thought that he was acting as a double agent, but for whom?

I thought that the death scene was really appropriate to Snape, in a way. Though I think the form of his demise speaks more about Voldemort more than anything because it showed just how careless Voldie was with his underlings. Snape was probably one of his most trusted and competent followers and he just offs him so casually because he wanted to master the Elder Wand.

[vout.livejournal.com]

Neville's only 36, give him a bit of time to become headmaster.
Who's headmaster now anyway? McGonagall?

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

All right all right. But but but I still think he should teach DADA, not Herbology!

No idea! Wouldn't she have retired at that point? Or is headmastering Hogwarts a pope kind of thing, you do it till you die?

[yueni]

Overall, I really loved this book. =) Snape has solidified into my most favourite character in the series, but I felt that there were a lot of weird unnecessary deaths. (Particularly Remus and Tonks whut?!)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, those two struck me as unnecessary as well. I mean, those two deaths. Especially as they... just happened in some kind of rush and I only realised they had happened half a page later. Whereas Dobby's death - and I never even cared much for Dobby! - really caught me, those were just... boom. Gone. And no time to deal with them because Harry had to go and face his destiny and I couldn't put the book down at this point, could I?
It would've been hard to believe if none of the characters we've grown to love would have died, but both of them... gnaaah.

[cowboy-r.livejournal.com]

Well, the epilogue is only 19 years after... Neville may eventually be headmaster yet!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

*points at comment to vout* Yeah, I can accept that.

[rahja.livejournal.com]

den epilog hätten die weglassen sollen. fand ich irgendwie unpassend.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Der las sich eher wie mittelmäßiges Fanfic als wie das Original, oder? Fandsch auch. War nicht so nötig. Entweder MEHR Informationen - wer ist jetzt Minister? Wer Schulleiter? Was macht das Trio? Und wie um alles in der Welt hält Hermine es 19 Jahre lang mit Ron aus? - oder gar nix. Also gut, den Albus Severus fand ich noch nett, so als Zugabe. Aber sonst...