Today was Harry Potter day at my house.
At the beginning of the summer, I started reading the first one to DSS, who's old enought to appriciate them now (he'll be nine in 2 weeks) and now, DSS is half way thru the third one.
DH is finishing up the first one, because he was feeling left out of our (DSS and me) conversations.
(The last straw was when DSS said that he was a wizard, I was a witch, and DD was a half-blood. "Why is DD a half-blood?" asked DH. "Because you're a muggle," responded DSS. While I was on the floor rolling with laughter, DH decided he didn't like being out of the loop.)
And I read the Deathly Hallows. I'm done now, and OH.MY.GOSH.
Things I Loved: (SPOILERS!!)
1. The metaphysical, "near death experience" handling of Harry's almost-final dealings with Voldemort.
2. The names: Xenophilius (Lover of Strange Things); Harry and Ginny's kids, Ron and Hermione's kids (Rose- same first letter as dad, Hugo- same first letter as mom); the aliases used by the people on
Potterwatch; the names of Dumbledore's family members, etc.
3. (This one is a little bizarre, but stick with me.) How the Death Eater reign of terror was so similar to the Abolitionist movement in the pre-Civil War U.S., and ESPECIALLY similar to the Holocaust. More so in this book than the others, I felt like she was really trying to make a point, and, in some way, prepare kids for the emotional impacts of the uglier parts of our history.
4. The way she explored the notion of the "other". Purebloods vs. mudbloods, non-human magical creatures vs. wandbearers, wizards vs. muggles, death eaters vs. blood traitors, etc. I thought she was pretty brilliant in the way she made her point in that, if you force people to take sides, pretty soon there's no one left.
Also, I loved it when Bill explained to Harry about goblin's notions of ownership and stealing, and how they're very different from human perceptions. How Bill made it clear that while he did not agree with goblin notions, he understood and respected them.
5. I LOVED it when Harry stood up to Lupin about not killing Stan. How if he was going to kill people just for being in his way, he was no better than Voldemort. I also was proud when Harry refused to kill (or allow to be killed) Malfoy and his cronies.
6. I actually liked it when Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the woods. Even tho' that was the darkest part of the book for me, it was reminiscant of hiding from Nazis or slaveowners. (See number 3.) I thought she made a great point about how, even people who survive reigns of terror by hiding or going out on the lam, the lack of contact with larger society is dehumanizing, and the survivors bear the scars of that, even if they escape torture and abuse.
7. That Molly Weasley killed Bellatrix Lestrange! I am so happy that Molly got to do it! She has always been one of my favorite characters, and was just elated that she got to dispatch Bellatrix.
I just love the Weasleys in general. They have been my favorite characters. Their house has been the one I've always wanted for myself: welcoming, interesting, and magical, to such a great extent that no one cares if it's nice or not.
The only thing that I outright hated in this book was that Hedwig died. And right off the bat. Not that I wanted anyone to die, but Hedwig?! She's an innocent.
On the whole, I'm glad I'm done reading, because
I haven't even brushed my teeth today. 
:
: It felt like a cop out to me. I wasn't too fond of Harry dying and coming back, it felt like Meredith all over again for those GA fans who know what I'm talking about. 
:
:
I actually forgot the little I read here as I was immersed in the book, so it was all still a total shock!
DH has the book with him but can't read it until later tonight. I was on the phone with him and I couldn't resist just going "Oh it's terrible, terrible...so much death!" and he was like "OKAY HANGING UP NOW!" lol. It will take him a longer time than me to read it. He reads really slow. I am going to have to read my copy again, but more slowly this time to take everything in. 
