Bought this yesterday finished it 7 hours (+/- 10 mins). COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN ALL NIGHT!!
Cracking read and fantastic fitting end to a brilliant series of books by imho a brilliant author. Loads of sneaky twists and turns, shocking moments, deaths and adventure. Well paced right thru and some brilliant character building at the beginning.
There are more in depth reviews on the net so you can read those if you like, but I reckon its fantastic. A solid 9/10
The last one I read was the Phoenix one, I think. It was chuffing awful emo shit.
How many books come after that, and are they still 'Waa, I'm a special wizard and nobody understands me'?
Stoat wrote:'Waa, I'm a special wizard and nobody understands me'?
This is my major gripe with Potter. In the books you'd think who was the only that had had shit happen to him.
I've always been cynical there is an element of appealing to the "I want to be special" market. Throughout the books he is described as not paying attention in classes, and not really understanding what he's supposed to be doing - and then surprise surprise he still manages to pass everything. I don't mean to be "hater", and as stated in another topic I do find them fairly readable, but I'm really not sold on the 'ethos' of it all.
It's better than the previous two, which isn't saying much, but it lacks the excitement and wonder of the first four.
Too many supporting characters suddenly turn up out of nowhere, only to be smited or simply deliver a plot device and then, as abruptly, disappear.
It was satisfying to have most of the loose ends tied though, and it kind of precludes an immediate sequel or prequel - although a "next generation" spinoff isn't ruled out.
I can still remember events from the first four quite vividly, which is - to my mind - successful storytelling, but apart from knowing what happens at the end, there is little to commend the last three.
I haven't caught up with the film adaptations, having gotten over the disappointment of chunks or story being left out of them, I began to enjoy them, until they took the decision to dress the characters in normal clothes, rather than school robes in the third film. I found this hugely offputting, as it ruins the whole thing about magical folk being incongruous with their dress-sense.
The first four books were Star Wars, the fifth and sixth a disappointing, somewhat emo Empire Strikes Back, where all the bad stuff happens, with this final, seventh book a Return of the Jedi, where our hero - perhaps inexplicably given his inattention to studies - comes back as a fully fledged Jedi, er.. wizard.
MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL! MORE FAIL!
I have pretty much enjoyed all of the harry potter books, except for parts of order of the phoenix where i just wanted to smack harry for being too stupid not to just shut up and ignore umbridge
i also liked the first 4 films, but the 5th was a huge pile of fail, basically because the book is so long that they have axed loads of stuff and the stuff that remains is skimmed over so quickly you couldn't possibly work out what was going on properly unless ou had read the book. character development is completely lack.
I really enjoyed reading the last book, I'd agree with the sentiment that I really wanted to read the first 4 books, but the 5th and 6th; I just wanted to read to see what happens than enjoy it.
I found a good sign that I enjoyed the 7th, was that as soon as I got to the 400 page mark; I could not put it down, was up til pretty early in the morning rapt.
Would agree that the epilogue was very useless and crap.
Well, I'm about 90 pages from the end of this now, and just wanted to make some initial comments. It is certainly a well-written book, in so far as it is easy to read and flows along nicely, but I don't think it's fantastic.
Firstly, it assumes that you've either just read the 6th book, or that you're intimately familar with the story so far. Horcruxes, for example, don't get a proper explanation until far too long after they've been mentioned.
Secondly, I'm not really getting much of a feeling of building towards a climax. The whole book is full of very exciting and important events, and without the contrast of anything mundane happening it is rather washing over me. There are at least 2 occasions where they are forced to camp out and go into hiding for weeks at a time, but they get brushed over in a couple of pages. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not exactly absorbed by it, and I'm not getting the sense of passing time the way I feel I should.
I agree with Jack's sentiment in that too many side characters appear, perform, and disappear again in a rather shoe-horned manner.
I'm interested to see how the story will conclude, but figured it's worth posting a few thoughts while they're fresh in my mind from my lunch-time read.
having read all the books starting since i was in year 5 of school, when i could read the first book and think the writing of it was allright, now i look back at it and think, bloody hell the writing in that book is terrible, but its made up for by the actuall story being good, and her writing evidently got better throughout all the books, up to the point where in this last book, i dont think the child audiance the books where originally aimed at cant be read without them probably having to go find a dictionary to read along side it, also alot of the content probably isnt quite the suitability for some of the very young audiance, but then again there has been death and violence in the whole series but none as dramatic as the last 3 books. but anyway enough ranting and praising about that. i also read the 5th book and thought it was complete bollocks, but then reread all of them earlier this year and thought it was one of the best in the series and was thoroughly disapointed by the film which needed to be atleast another hour or 2 long.
ive lost my point now but oh well, i thought the 7th book was brilliant but the end couldve been better. also did anyone else know that there where 2 other books that are supposed to be books from the harry potter books. one of them is quidditch through the ages and the other is fantastic beasts and where to find them
:starfull::starfull::starfull::starfull::starfull::starfull::starfull::starfull::starempty:
duh-haw, I are speshul! 
