1) While I was having the busiest summer of my life, I didn't review or give enough attention to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. Anyone who cares has already read it, but here are a few of my general thoughts.
I bought it the day it came out in Target, and I remember opening up the cover to see the description on the jacket. When all it said was "We now present the seventh and final installment of Harry Potter." I got goosebumps. I'm not going to lie, I was expecting a great, and dare I say, EPIC book. Who wasn't?
Chapter Thiry-Four, "The Forest Again" is possibly the best chapter Rowling wrote in the Harry Potter novels. The image she casts of Harry walking into the forest towards his death is nothing short of brilliant. The unfortunate part is that the Epilouge "Nineteen Years Later" is simply the worst. I'm not saying that I wanted the sliver of hope that this series might continue. I understand that things must end. However, the writing is just plain awful and much too happy.
TDH has a dark/hazy cloud cast over the whole story. In true Tolkien form, it is a journey from the start, but to finish on such a happy note does no justice to story created over the previous seven books. I can't wait to finish classes and read it again.
2) I realized recently that I'm getting most of my news from NPR. I still read the NYTimes online, but I also listen to NPR in the car everyday on my way to school and work. I like the content of the programs, as well as some of the personalities of reporters and anchors, which seem to come across better than on a television.
3) Last Friday our MBA class had a day of teambuilding exercises. I had done a number of them from camp, but I still really enjoyed the experience.
I also climbed a rockwall. I was much more nervous than I thought I should be, but after a minute seemed to calm myself down.
4) Yesterday while walking in Washington Park, Sandy and I came across an AIDS walk reception area. We both discussed previous volunteering activities that we had done in our youths. Volunteering is something I've thought a lot about in the last six months.
I know I spent a week at camp volunteering this summer, and that time should more than make up for any other time during the year I don't volunteer my time and energies, but I don't feel that way. I'm not sure how or doing what, but I want to get in the habit of volunteering towards something once every month or two.
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I've been waiting for your Deathly Hallows review for some time. My own neglect and general laziness has kept me from posting mine. I've already gotten through my second reading.
It'd be tough to identify a favorite from the series, but this would come close. Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince were tedious throughout, at least until their respective climaxes. Deathly Hallows didn't suffer from that. Casting Snape as the villain we all thought he was supposed to be until the very end was nothing less than brilliant.
I appreciate the Epilogue. I let myself succumb to the tricks (my chest swelled and I began to get juiced up myself when everyone was slipping into Hogwarts prior to the battle; I teared up when Dobby died), and this was really no different. I initially thought Rowling would kill Harry and that would be done with it, but the following resurrection was well played (thereby fully transforming Harry into her own Christ-figure). But after all the torture and torment Rowling put Harry through, she owed Harry Ginny at the least. If not a happily ever after.
Don't rule out other aspects of the series. Granted, sequels are a little out of the question. But nothing prevents anyone from writing a prequel, spinning on Rowling's frameworks and perhaps picking up more of the story of Tom Riddle. Who knows.
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