Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
J.K. Rowling
([LibraryThing] [Amazon])

Seventh (and final) book in the Harry Potter series. (I broke with my usual routine--which is to wait to read in the next book in the Harry Potter series right before going out and seeing the movie version--and went ahead and read Deathly Hallows immediately after finishing Half-Blood Prince. After all, this is the last of the series, and I didn't want to wait another year!) All I can say is that Rowling did a wonderful job finishing things up. Half-Blood Prince is a perfect tease, leading into this book, and Deathly Hallows definitely meets the expectations resulting from this. My favorite thing about Deathly Hallows is that it breaks the pattern Rowling has established in the first six books of how each book starts out. As indicated at the end of Half-Blood Prince, Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione do not go back to Hogwarts to attend their seventh year of studies. Instead, they embark upon a dangerous quest in order to bring down the defeat of Lord Voldemort, who has largely taken over things in the wizarding world (albeit behind the scenes). There are many exciting adventures (including infiltrating both the Ministry of Magic and Gringott's Wizarding Bank). Harry also visits, amongst other places, the house where he lived as a baby and where his parents were murdered by Voldemort, and his parents' graves. And, fear not, as one would expect, Hogwarts and the familiar professors do eventually appear in a significant section of the novel. This is a really meaty book--759 pages--with a lot going on and lots of characters, but Rowling manages to keep the reader engaged and wanting to know what will come next. I couldn't help but feel conflicted at times, both wanting to get to the big final battle while at the same time realizing that once I did then it would be all over. I can't remember the last novel series which kept me so enthralled right to the end of the final book like this. (Perhaps Timonthy Zahn's first Star Wars "Thrawn" trilogy of books: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command. No, more recently it probably be the Lord of the Rings trilogy, although I don't know if my excitement level for either of these was quite that as mine was while reading the final two Harry Potter books. (Finished reading 8/5/09)