Finally finished DH

[textualdeviance]

*I was a lot more impressed by Rowling's writing than I expected to be. While her plotting was always good, and I realize that her writing was deliberately simpler for the earlier books, her storytelling skills really did grow over the course of the series. She still had a problem with overstating end-of-story exposition (really, woman, get ON with it!) and she needed better editors, but she really did spin some good yarns. I also am glad I decided to wait until the series was finished before reading any of them. I would've gone mad waiting for two years for the end.

*My goodness--the movies leave out SO much! Entire subplots are just done away with and some things have been totally changed. WTF? I've been watching the movies as I finish each book, and I always find myself snorting in derision at some of the ridiculous choices the directors make. I perfectly understand needing to condense those huge, convoluted stories into 3 hours of film, but when they waste time on certain things and ignore far more essential others... meh. The best of the series, IMHO, was PoA. No slight against the art department or casting directors--those things have always been great--but honestly, some of this stuff was just meh. And sue me, but Emma Watson still can't act for shit.

*Idle curiosity: given the sheer amount of nekkid flesh necessary for the next two films and the way that Danny has... ehm... grown up... I wonder if they're going to make him shave? The boy is a furburger. He can barely pass for 18 now. Passing for 17 when they do the filming for DH in two years? Yeah, right.

*I cried at each of the deaths. Seriously. But the one that got me the most was Dobby. I was so tickled to see the elf brigade arrive at the end. :)

*Damned shame everything was so relentlessly het. I realize yeah, children's book and lots of allegory and such, but still. You'd think at least one of her side characters could've been queer, even if noted in a veiled way.

*I didn't buy the justification for Snape. Sorry, but I just didn't. I bought Draco's change a lot more easily. And I honestly think she was kind of reaching for a way to end the story without Harry's death. I actually felt a little cheated by this, and I think the epilogue was just a bit too pat and happily ever after.

*The scene with Nagini in Godric's Hollow scared the crap out of me. Holy fucktaters.

*My happiest moment: Neville killing Nagini. Go Neville! I love it when underdogs become heroes. I'm such a sap that way.

Overall, I think I realized that the reason I'd been putting this off for so long--aside from a misguided notion that these were a lot cheesier and fluffier than they are--isn't so much the stories, but HP fandom. LOTR fandom was nuts, definitely, but HP fans can get downright fucking bizarre. I accidentally stumbled on some snuff art from there recently and I'm still creeped out about it. Meh.

I'm glad I read these, though. And now I can get back to finishing off the Redwall series. I still have Triss, Loamhedge, Rakkety Tam, High Rhulain and the upcoming Eulalia! to go.

Comments

[rebeccama.livejournal.com]

*My happiest moment: Neville killing Nagini. Go Neville! I love it when underdogs become heroes. I'm such a sap that way.

I was cheering when I read that part. DH is my favorite of the series. Some of the exposition is a bit dry, but the story as a whole worked for me. I have a much more mixed view of the films (despite some excellent actors). I know they have to make cuts, but they leave out some of the best character moments.

[noipeh.livejournal.com]

My goodness--the movies leave out SO much

That is exactly why it was the family policy that you had to read the book (If you were capable of reading at that level) before you saw the movie. It's what ultimately got my eldest to read, and it was a HUGE carrot to dangle before the other two!

I adored the book, I thought most of it was well done, but I have to agree that the end was superfluous. It was so trite it was anti-climactic!

Neville's always been one of my favorites, so I was tickled pink to see him come into his own. I have to say I was crying when Dobby died too, which was a problem because I was in stage make up for Beauty and the Beast and I smeared the eyeliner! They eventually banned us from reading DH between our times on stage because someone missed an entrance they were so wrapped up in it!