and so it ends: "deathly hallows" review

Harry Potter, that is.

I'll admit, I wasn't that stoked about the book before it came out. Books 5 and 6 were somewhat disappointing - in trying to capture the darkness that had come over the magical world while simultaneously reminding readers that Harry was a teenager, J.K. Rowling lost her balance, and - dare I say? - the magic that had made Harry Potter so wonderful, so enchanting.

But I knew that the web would be teeming with discussions, spoilers, etc., especially about the ending, since its been such a hot topic of debate for so long. Even days before, I had to consciously avert my eyes from news headlines to avoid being spoiled. So I dutifully went and got the book on Sat am, if for nothing else than to avoid hiding in a cave until I got around to reading it.

And I LOVED it.

"Deathly Hallows" has recaptured the spirit and pluckiness that made HP one of my obsessively favorite readings of all times. Back is the character development, the magical world drawn in such vibrant lines that you can feel yourself transported into it. Little things that seemed to have been abruptly dropped post-Book 4 are unexpectedly revisited - something that had bothered me to no end.

Harry is no longer one-dimensional, accidental, confused, or - let's face it - just plain annoying; his friendship with Hermione and Ron again feel real down to the core, not forced for the sake of being "best friends". You can feel his longing for Ginny as poignantly as your own first love - no longer do the characters seem like they're hooking up because thats what characters are supposed to do at 16.

At the same time, Rowling has drawn a world of terror that mirrors that of the Third Reich so closely, I felt like I was back in my Nazi German history classes. Voldemort is cleverly depicted - not a caricature like he became in 5 and 6, but a clever puppet master that chooses psychological warfare over egomaniacal might. The action is potent throughout the book - but never once, do you forget that the heart of the book, of the series, is Harry's becoming: becoming an adult, becoming a hero.

Its been a while since I've felt Harry was a hero. In the first 4 books, despite the best efforts, Harry always felt like an accidental hero. I agreed with Death Eaters that said that he was lucky, he had great mentors, he had friends, etc. Daniel Radcliffe's wide-eyed wonderment depiction of Harry certainly didn't help, and Books 5 particularly (as I mentioned) made him look just ridiculous. In fact, it inspired one of the funniest laugh-out-loud fanfics I've ever read by Cassie Claire, "A Lot To Be Upset About"

But in Book 7, we see really what makes Harry a hero: its not his abilities, or his destiny. Rather, its the choices that he makes - choices inspired by love.

Harry is so wonderfully portrayed in this book that I fall in love with him all over again. With rumors of his death in the back of my head, the more alive he became with each page, the more I dreaded losing him. I actually started crying at one point in the book. In fact, Rowling even mirrors my own experience as Harry walks towards the inevitable - looking, feeling, smelling everything around him with greater intensity, knowing that it would be the last time.

I won't reveal the ending, although I'm sure my blog post is hardly the first place avid readers will go for a review. But I will say that the ending, while cliche, is perfect. In the hype that has made Harry Potter a worldwide legend, we forget that this started as a children's series, after all.

I don't disagree with critics who say that J.K.'s prose is often clunky, especially towards the end as she tries to wrap everything up and provide the answers that readers have been craving for a decade. Some of the methods she uses are not ones that I would have chosen - or, at the very least, I would have integrated them a bit more subtly. But as a fan, I lapped it up anyhow, my curiosity finally satiated.

But Rowling does also employ one technique that every Buffy fan will love - a fantastic sense of continuity, bringing back subtle scraps of clues that were casually thrown out there throughout the series, and revealing their significance.

As I've mentioned over and over, I did not like Book 5 at all. And while Book 6 redeemed the series, it did not ressurrect my fervent obsession with Harry. But I realized yesterday that, in my apathy, I missed not just clues, but many of the important developments and changes in the wizarding world depicted in those books. Maybe its just because I haven't read them each 20+ times, like I have the other 4. But "Deathly Hallows" has inspired me to reread the entire series again - with special attention to "Order of the Phoenix" and "Half-Blood Prince" - and that is the greatest compliment that I can give to Rowling.

Hats off, to a phenomenal ending. Harry, I'll miss you.