(no subject)

[heidi]

I'm done reading but I've only written up my notes on the first two thirds, so don't worry about spoiling me for anything in the comments - you can't.

Thoughts on reading Book 7, written as I was reading, through page 500,

Chapter 1: Wow, that was fast! And ickle Draco so jittery and yay Lucius is back! I hope that means we get Jason in Movie #7, wheee!

Chapter 3: I cried when Dudley said goodbye to Harry. I really did - and it weirdly reminded me of Barb's Psychic Serpent (the Book 5) version. It's right, and it made me think about the random missed opportunities Harry has had - between that and not ever actually talking to Dumbledore - or, for that matter, reading up on his backgroun! - that would've made his a very different story.

Does page 52 have an ironic Equus reference in mentioning the six Harrys stripping down? I'll think it does until proven otherwise. Also, Hermione's line about Crabbe and Goyle is priceless!

WAH! Hedwig killed! Brutally murdered by death eaters! How dare they? I love the toast to Mad-Eye and the suspense she builds as to everyone getting to the house is just nerve-wracking (Oh, and can Helena play both Andromeda and Bellatrix in Movie #7, plz?). I love how the twins look different now, but they can play with polyjuice and switch places again if they want.

Oops! Typo on page 84? Did I read it as Barry Crouch. I am so amused. And the interaction between Ron & Hermione there is adorable -much more like the movie of OotP than it was in, say, Book Six.

Oh! Hermione! She's made herself into an orphan, really, by sending her parents away like that - she's brilliant and so tragic in doing this to keep them safe - and she didn't tell the boys at all, and I wonder if she would have if Harry hadn't pressed the issue of not bringing them along. I love her so, so much for this amazing thing. Ron's plan is clever too - and I love how Hermione is actually *considering* bringing a Lockhart book. As if!

I am so proud of fandom for figuring out so much of the explanations for horcruxes - but kudos to JKR for making that bit of exposition have some nifty surprises in it too.

Ron! That birthday book! Brilliant!

P 127, I misread "flesh memories" as "flash memories" and wondered if they held 512mb or 2gigs.

WEDDING! I have long wanted to 8see* a wizarding wedding! I'm so thrilled we finally got one (even though I'm sad to learn that Bill is actually William and not Billius, alas)! And I know I am weird for absolutely loving that the one thing I've long wanted to see was chapter eight. It's a sign! (No, not really!)

And yes! There is a *bonding for life* component of it! And thus, a thousand thousand fanfics were born! (and I wonder, legalistically, if that's a charm or just words, and whether it's the life of both parties or only of one...)

I love Viktor; so good to see him back - and I wondered about Mr Lovegood's name's as soon as I saw it...

And the end of the wedding chapter! I love the drawing of the trio on the lam in London, and then the battle is brilliant - although eep Hermione making a mistake...

The chapter illustration for Chapter 9 is probably my favorite in the book.

Page 186 I have to stop here for a moment. Oh, my boy, my Regulus. They've figured you out and I hope you're as wonderful as I've imagined you..... This is the last moment before I read anything about him, and I need to breathe for a moment. I am sure that you won't be exactly what I imagined back in 2001 (of course, then I thought you were on the Malfoy side and not the Black side, but that's ok!) but I want to know more about you and if I read down this page... Will I?

Breathe. Return to book. Oh, Reg. Same dark hair, slightly haughty look (Hello, Cillian!) and Seeker? Oh! And the cave? And protecting his family, and Kreacher? Sigh, that's just perfect, and what I hoped and hoped for.

Also, I have a Regulus/Barty plot bunny of wonder!

OKay. Harry's argument with Lupin? What the fuckity fuck? It's like CAPSLOCK!Harry, but kind of bizarre - it just doesn't make sense. : blinks

Also? Fastest pregnancy ever! They've been married for what, a month? I'm sure witches can find out they're pregnant more rapidly than Muggles, but to get pregnant in the first month of a marriage means far too many things are too precisely timed, and it's just... Plot points, not characters.

Ms Rowling, you have clearly been exposed to some of the "Merlin's-" cursing in fanfic, and you are making fun of us! Good for you. :D

Ch 13 - does Moody's eye on the door remind anyone of the Madame de Pompadour Spaceship in Doctor Who?

Oooh, I love powerful!protective!Harry rescuing everyone from the ministry - he's magnificent!

WHEN O WHEN will someone write the Neville & Ginny & Luna Stealing the Sword Story? YAY for the three of them! In fact, I fully expect a challenge of some sort involving every day of the year, but set at Hogwarts, filling in all the gaps there.

: skips to godric's hollow

Lily was older than James! I love that! And yes! We have a year! (which I am sure will be 1970 in the movie-verse, as it's set in the 00s, and not the 90s. Weird.)

Chapter 19 - Oh, Ron! Poor snoo! Demons tell lies unless the truth will hurt! Don't believe the Evil Locket! It lies to you! It is not Good After All like the wonderful Regulus-Locket!

Hermione, don't you know your etymology? You're British, for Merlin's sake! A *close* isn't an action. It's a place (as per Merriam-Webster) - "an enclosed area b chiefly British : the precinct of a cathedral"

Wibble. I am enjoying the story. I really, truly am! But I feel like the stretching it out over a year of time is just too much. Christmas to Easter it's been? Meep.

Is it perverse to like that Dobby was killed fleeing Malfoy Manor? Because in a weird way, I think that was superclever.


And a snip of a YM between me and Copperbadge:

heidi8: Omg. The doe?
heidi8: Is lily. Snape's patronus?
heidi8: *he* sent it. Didn't he?
Copperbadge: Mmmmmm, I dunno.
Copperbadge: I bet it's Ginny. Because then she and Harry are doe and stag, see?
heidi8: But james *was* a stag
heidi8: Maybe lily was a doe. And snape looooooved her.
Copperbadge: lol

Comments

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

Ron was *love*. Hermione was *love*. The Ron/Hermione was LOVE. *squee*

And, of course, The Trio was bloody awesome.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I'll admit it. I still don't live Ron's behaviour in GoF - but yes, he and Hermione could be good together if he grew up (which, of course, he would). And he did, so well and so much of what he became was because of Harry and Hermione.

I still, in a way, would've loved to see the three of them together forever, just like that. But I knew she wouldn't, so this way was *just* *good*.

[tqpannie.livejournal.com]

I truly loved Ron in the book. First--umm he lived! Yay bonus!
He was clever and wonderful. He helped so much.

The Snape loving Lily--basically being the only thing that kept him from being totally dark. I so am okay with him being DD's man to an extent.

I laughed outloud, I cried, and there was so much to love about this book that I can't put it into words.

[angelamermaid.livejournal.com]

*sniff* The book was bloody magnificent, and I will be reading it over and over.

[angelamermaid.livejournal.com]

PS Perhaps Tonks was pregnant when they got married?

[hermione-like.livejournal.com]

That's what I was thinking. They got married way too quickly and quietly for that to have happened naturally. ;)

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I am so sure of that! But even still, it was a quick pregnancy, post-Dumbledore's death.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

NEVILLE IS MY FAVORITE.

Oh, man, that book was love.

Also, I have videotaped reactions to the first three chapters. I think after that is when my videocamera battery died.

Dude, I don't think that was the faster pregnancy ever, dear. I think that was...why they got married. Since that seemed to happen quickly and, you know, they were all like, "uh, it was quiet."

[xtinethepirate.livejournal.com]

You have my respect for being able to already talk logically about the book... I'm still in the *FLAIL* stage. I've been saying since book 5 and *sniff* Sirius that she was going to end up killing evvvvery single one of my fave characters. And what do you know?

*siiiiiiiiiiiiiighs* Just. Wow. End of an era.

Btw, love the icon. Did you make it?

[yahtzee63.livejournal.com]

Dobby's death -- the timing of it, and the reasons -- was, along with his funeral, one of the most masterfully done parts of the book; I'd never have predicted that going in, but it absolutely wiped me out.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

Also? Fastest pregnancy ever! They've been married for what, a month? I'm sure witches can find out they're pregnant more rapidly than Muggles, but to get pregnant in the first month of a marriage means far too many things are too precisely timed, and it's just... Plot points, not characters.


See and here I thought this speedy pregnancy just opened up itneresting new facuets to Tnoks unique abilities. She and Remus want a baby, ok, quick internal modifications and she's ready for baby making *L*

By the by, when you feel it safe to put GIANT SPOILERS on the front page of Fictonalley, I have a suggestion for a new front page picture. Everyone whose died either jsut in this book or over all 7.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Can I nick the icon?

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Definitely! Credit to rookie131.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Will do.

[heybritney.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was really sad how little harry knew about dumbledore. but i think we've always known this, right? i mean, in the past, it's always been that dumbledore was coldly removed from harry - it wasn't until book six he actually started communicating with harry, and even that in very fixed ways. we didn't really talk to dumbledore unless we were finished saving the world in the earlier books. so that was sorta sucky but whatever.
also i've said this but i think that basically the reason she killed hedwig was in relation to her disposing of the firebolt and harry's school trunk and etc. etc. - metaphorically, she wanted harry to fully grow up and dispose of any remaining pieces of school-boy harry. that's how it seems to me, anyways.
i think the argument with lupin was to again build credibility for harry as rowlings perfect-amazing-hero. i think she'll take any opportunity to beat it into our brains how perfect harry is supposed to be.
i think that the locket was possessing ronald somehow.
also, good call on the patronus! (: