Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: JK Rowling
Genre: fiction, fantasy
ASIN: B002I4VJ2Y
Length: 21 hours
Year Published: 2007
Source: public library
Rating: 5/5 (I am genuinely sad that I’m done with this book )
Reason for Reading: I disliked it the first time I read it (upon its original release in 2007) and the recent release of the film made me want to give it another go

Summary: Harry, Hermione, and Ron run around trying to find the elusive horcruxes. (FYI, horcruxes were created by Voldemort to house parts of his soul so he could never be really “dead” unless all horcruxes were destroyed.) The trio does not return to Hogwarts as students in what should be their seventh year because Dumbledore died at the end of the previous book, and Death Eaters took over Hogwarts and the Ministry, all under Voldemort’s command. As usual, Harry tries to take no help from everyone around him because he doesn’t want to put them in danger, but they all help him anyways, with some dire consequences for people he is close to.

My Thoughts: This is the second time I’ve read this novel. The first time, I loathed it. To summarize why I think I disliked it so: I had just read the first six books in the series for the release of this seventh book and, because it’s so different from the other two in that Hogwarts isn’t exactly the setting and Dumbledore isn’t around (etc.), I think I didn’t like it. Plus I made the stupid mistake of reading the epilogue and I usually detest epilogues because they take away from me my own imagination to how the characters might have ended up.

This second time around I LOVED IT! I didn’t read it, but rather listened to it on audiobook, narrated by Jim Dale. I got the idea from Michelle at My Books. My Life. who listened to the entire HP series on audiobook this year–here is her post about the adventure But anyways, I definitely enjoyed this book more than my previous reading of it.

I’m not exactly sure what it was that made me love it so much when I didn’t like it the first time. Regardless, it’s always been hard for me to put a finger on what it is that JK Rowling does that makes me love these books. I can now say I love the whole series I think one of the things that interests me most about this book is the Harry-Hermione-Ron relationship. Never before has the relationship been under such strain as in this book. Yes, Ron has been “jealous” of and “over” Harry before–take Goblet of Fire, for example. And yes, Ron has done stupid things concerning Hermione. But this time, the relationship is just different. (By the way, I’ll say it again: I love Rupert Grint as Ron–he is so good at portraying these emotions of jealousy, etc. in the movies!)

I have to say that I’m still not exactly a fan of Harry and Ginny. I didn’t like the epilogue this time around either, but at least I expected that much. I just feel that Rowling didn’t develop their relationship like she did Hermione and Ron’s. It seems a bit strange when, after basically the entire seventh book and pretty much all of the first five, they end up together with little kids and whatnot. Plus I think their relationship in the sixth book (the only time they really have a relationship) is just so immature–just, well, not developed fully enough for me to see them in each other’s futures.  (Does anyone else think that Ginny is described almost the same as Lily? Or is it just me that sees those similarities? )

I am really glad that I took a chance and reread this book. Turns out I just must have been in some weird, funky mood when I read it last time. Or I just let the epilogue completely ruin the whole story and cloud out my feelings from the rest of the book. And maybe, subconsciously, I was just a little upset that a series I had read for seven years was coming to an end

Favorite Quote:

“Not my daughter, you bitch!” from Mrs. Weasley to Bellatrix
^^How could anyone not love Mrs. Weasley for calling her a bitch?!

My Thoughts on the Cover: I like it. It’s very illustrative of the end of the book, but there’s not really anything but that final battle in the cover. And it does look a little odd that both Harry and Voldemort must be reaching for the same thing. I mean, I know what they’re reaching for, but if you’ve never read it, you’d never know and then it just looks weird.

But, just for fun, here are some of my favorite posters for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

Little Women and Werewolves by Louisa May Alcott & Porter Grand

Title: Little Women and Werewolves
Author: Louisa May Alcott & Porter Grand
Genre: fiction, spoof-of-a-classic
ISBN: 9780345522603
Pages: 393
Year Published: 2010
Source: public library
Rating: 3/5
Reason for Reading: my Civil War class made me want to read Little Women again, but I thought I’d try something new with this spoof

Summary (from back cover):

Little Women is a timeless classic. But Louisa May Alcott’s first draft–before her editor sunk his teeth into it–was even better. Now the original text has at last been exhumed. In this uncensored version, the March girls learn some biting lessons, transforming from wild girls into little women–just as their neighbors transform from gentlemen into blood-thirsty werewolves.
Here comes tomboy Jo, meek Beth, ladylike Amy, and good-hearted Meg, plus lovable neighbor Laurie Laurence, now doomed to prowl the night on all fours, maiming and devouring the locals. As the Civil War rages, the girls learn the value of being kind, the merits of patience and grace, and the benefits of knowing a werewolf who can disembowel your teacher.
By turns heartwarming and bloodcurdling, this rejuvenated classic will be cherished and beloved by those who enjoy a lesson in virtue almost as much as they relish a good old-fashioned dismemberment.

My Thoughts: I really didn’t mind this spoof. I didn’t find it as humorous as I found Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but it was an interesting idea to go with. But something that I liked in some respects and didn’t like in other respects was the way Grand portrayed the relationships between the characters.

For instance, I didn’t exactly like the way she made Jo seem all goo-goo-eyed over Laurie. It’s been awhile since I read Little Women, but I don’t remember Jo ever seeming like she love loved Laurie–she just loved him as a brother. But here’s an example of what Grand used to describe Jo’s feelings towards Laurie:

Something in the way he held himself, in the very way he breathed, and in his animal alertness made Jo want to sit nearer to him. She knew she would feel safe nestled against him, inhaling the intoxicating musk of his skin, but she fought the urge and stayed where she was. She sat crookedly, though, to face him and she breathed deeply, hoping to swallow the very same air he was exhaling as he recited an amusing story he had heard…Jo had laid a hand on Laurie’s arm when she thanked him for the ride home. A jolt had run up her arm, and she could feel the cloth of his sleeve on her fingertips until she fell asleep that night.

This makes Jo seem too girly for me. And I think it misrepresents her true feelings for Laurie.

But, I did like how Grand went into more detail about the blossoming love between Laurie and Amy. I think Alcott sort of just thrust the two together and never really explained how and/or why it happened. But this book does change it up a little and shows how they grew to love each other.

Other than these aspects, I did like how werewolves were woven into the story. Of course it seemed a little fantastical, but that’s the fun of it I don’t know if I would recommend it to others, unless they enjoy spoofs on classics. But, for what it was, I just felt it fell short of what I had expected. It took me about two weeks to read it and I think that was because it was just didn’t interest me. However, that might have been because I’ve known the basic plot behind the book for 15 years

::EDIT::
I forgot to mention that I also didn’t care for the ending. I’m not exactly sure where Little Women originally left off because I know Alcott wrote continuing books. But both films I’ve seen end when Professor Bhaer proposes and Jo accepts, saying “Not empty now” (because he said “I have nothing to give you. My hands are empty.”) But Grand added on an ending, I think taking on a little of the sequel, Little Men. I just didn’t like this tactic to end it at a different spot

My Thoughts on the Cover: Pretty self explanatory cover. A werewolf shadow and claw marks and blood along with the four March girls–not really a whole lot of hidden meaning

Some Quotes I Like:

“I have often felt an aloof neighbor is preferable to a nosy one,” Marmee said, laughing. (p17)

Mrs. March knew that experience was an excellent teacher, and whenever possible, she left her children to learn their own lessons. (p170)

Kindness is the greatest gift one can give the world… (p386)