I was unfortunate. My local ASDA, who as been selling the book for an amazing £5, had sold out by Saturday afternoon, which is no surprise since someone told me that 500 people had queued at midnight for the book. I had to wait till Sunday before a friend kindly lent me the book…I couldn’t wait till Monday! This review will be based around my thoughts about the book, rather than the story.

I read the Chamber of Secrets before the release of the third book; therefore, I like to think that I found Harry Potter by myself. I would not call myself fanatically obsessed with Harry, but I still appreciate the raw talent that JK Rowling shows in all her books, be it the snappy wit, the 3D characters, or her intricate plot, which weaves in and out of all seven books, until everything ties up rather neatly.

Yes, she does like to kill a lot of her characters, perhaps to show a sense of realism and tragedy. Three times the books have ended on a sombre note, with the deaths of Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore. There are many deaths in the Deathly Hallows, and the question on many people’s lips before release was, 'who is going to die?' and 'will Harry survive?'

Many were of the opinion that Harry may be killed off to prevent anyone carrying from where the Deathly Hallows stops...even though that would be a bitter end to the series. Whether he maintains a pulse throughout the book, I shall not reveal to you, but I will say that several well- loved characters do meet an untimely end.

Best book?
It is the opinion of many readers that the Deathly Hallows is the best in the series. Yes, it does answer many questions and skilfully informs the fate of all the little characters. But it does not have the familiar structure of the previous books as the Harry, Ron and Hermione have agreed that they will not return to Hogwarts to complete their education, and pursue their hunt for the horcruxes.

There's no Quidditch, no lessons, no dinners in the Great Hall. But I'm not complaining! The beginning of the book follows pretty much by what we were told in the Half Blood Prince: Harry leaves Privet Drive and there is the pleasant wedding at the Weasleys. There is also the expected quest for the Horcruxes.

But the predictable plot stops there, I suppose, unless you count the obvious battle against 'good and evil.' The latter is the climax of the book, and I love the way JK Rowling made it come about...which surprised both Harry and the readers!

I'm not going to delve into the plot, because everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy the book, and relish every word as I did. There were points in the first half of the book, where I thought the situation was being dragged somewhat, and the pace had become sluggish, especially as Harry did not seem to be progressing in his quest. It seemed to be dangerously like the Order of the Phoenix, which is perhaps the least loved of the Potter books. But once the pace picked up, the book was amazing, with surprises at every turn, with different settings, different characters: it was a truly a pleasure to read!
The book has not lost the Rowling wit, made me laugh more than cry, though it has grown up with its first readers, so that it is more a book for adults than 10 year olds. It was a satisfying end to the series, where every question was answered. I love the final chapter... it is comforting and conclusive...she may insist that she will never write about Harry again...but can she resist writing about the new characters? I'd love to read them because the magic isn't in Harry Potter...it's in JK Rowlings writing. When I finished, I was left in a thoughtful silence; not needing to know more, because the book was so satisfactory.


No we have not made a mountain out of a molehill, I say to those who think its sad to like Harry Potter: JK Rowling is a truly talented writer, and she does deserve what she has got...though there are other writers who are equally skilled but have not received the same respect that they too deserve.