Harry's Final Chapter: A Review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

It seems that whenever something becomes popular, there are people who seem to want to bend over backwards to knock it down. True art, they must argue, means no one appreciates it. Or, true literature, is something read in poorly-attended college classes so that everyone can feel like they know something other people do not. Therefore, there could not possibly any reason to like the Harry Potter series, they seem to argue. If something is that popular and makes that much money, it must be no good and people who read those books should be scorned and looked down upon.

Well, if lack of readership is the sign of true art then my books must be the ultimate in artistic and literary merit. I think my last book, Dust, has sold all of 11 copies the last time I checked. So, that, I think, should give me the street cred to become the King of Pompous Literature. This, therefore, qualifies me to review the latest, and last, installment of the Harry Potter series which is entitled "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

For my own sake, I cannot understand why people feel the need to rag on this series of very well-written, well-plotted and character-rich stories. For me, each novel is pure story. I heard Stephen King declare that a few years back and I know he knows a thing or two about writing and about writing for popular culture. J.K. Rowling seems to have had a pretty good idea of where this story was going and she has very richly populated each of her novels with memorable characters and plots that zip along like any good entertainment. They have moments of great power and emotion. They have moments of great humor and levity. It is a full-realized world and I applaud Ms. Rowling and her imagination for being able to see this through to the end.

Of course, there really is no possible way to review this book without giving up key plot points that most fans probably prefer to find out on their own. Let me just say that this book is definitely the darkest of any of them. Hardly any pages of the book are spent at the beloved Hogwarts School where the young wizards and witches learn their trade. No, Voldemort is back and he is in charge. So, things go from bad to worse very quickly for Harry and his pals Hermione and Ron.

They are commissioned to find the seven Horcruxes that contain the parts of Voldemort's soul. Of course, Dumbledore gave them this mission in the last book and then promptly died. Therefore, Harry and his friends have no real idea what they are looking for and, at first, no real idea how to even destroy the damn things once they find them.

The action moves along amazingly briskly. Yes, there are deaths and some key figures die in this book. It is tempting to want to give some of those away, but they really should be discovered by the readers. Some of them are truly heartbreaking. There are several heartbreaking scenes in this novel.

Rowling peppers each and every page with rich details. Details from other books that seemed small become important here. Nearly every loose thread is tied off and explained. Things that have been lingering questions from book one are finally resolved. There is a big showdown at the end and it turns to have been well-worth the journey to get there.

There has always been something nagging at me about the character of Harry Potter. He has been thought of as some great wizard from the beginning. However, it never seemed like he was living up to the hype. He seemed to get by on pure luck most of the time and by the interference of others on his behalf. In this novel, finally, Harry comes into his own. He finally takes control of things and shows he does have abilities and power and that he knows how to use them.

Whenever you have a hugely successful series like this, the question has to arise, does the ending make sense? Does it bring about a satisfying ending to the series? I have admit, that Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series did not leave the reader with the most satisfied feeling in their hearts once the final installment was created. So, how does Rowling do with Harry?

I felt very satisfied. If anything, I just wish there could be more! I enjoy the world that Rowling has created. I enjoyed her characters. I thought her stories were exciting and thrilling and they kept me up at night and turning pages as feverishly and fast as I could. What more could you really want from your literature?

There is nothing wrong with writing for popular appeal. William Shakespeare did it in his time. Herman Melville probably would have been a lot happier if his books had sold better. Dicken's books were released a chapbook at a time and their release sometimes caused riots. Writers have always wanted the widest audience they could get for their creations. Those who claim not to want that are fooling themselves and lying to themselves.

If you are the type who feels that every bit of entertainment you ingest must somehow profoundly change your beliefs and radically change your mindset, then you need to get a grip on yourself. Entertainment is meant to be, well, entertaining. The story should capture you, envelope you, and get you lost in the story. It should also make you care about the characters and what happens to them.

I am very happy to say that J.K Rowling has done this throughout the series of Harry Potter books. She has managed to continue it right through to the last page of this novel as well. I am very glad that someone handed me the first three books as a Christmas present many years ago. I had been resisting reading them because I thought they were "children's" books. At some point that might have been the case, but it is certainly not the case now. These are great stories because they are great fun.

That is what writing should be. That is what novels should be. That is what entertainment should be.