IIRC, we can discuss OotP on this list...right? CONTAINS SPOILERS

[Trisha Masen]

...because we can't discuss it on the main list as that is shut down until like Monday.

I finished it about 30 minutes ago and still haven't "taken it all in" yet.  I'm going to need to reread it at least once to grasp everything.  How can a 850+ page book still feel like it left off in the middle?

Someone else commented on another list that she enjoyed seeing Tough!Harry.  I admit, I did as well.  Seeing Harry with a backbone through the *entire* book was great.  I understand why, but I was amazed that he was so angry for the first part of the book.

Umbridge was even worse than described on the flyleaf.  There was more than once that I just wanted to smash something in frustration at what she was doing.  I do so dearly hope that Harry's Quidditch ban is lifted - for him not to be able to play Quidditch for the next two years will be a tragedy.

And we now know that it will come down to Voldemort and Harry, as we suspected.  What I don't understand about The Prophecy is why Voldemort felt he had to kill James, but didn't want to touch Lily.  The Prophecy stated it would be a child born at the end of July of parents who had thrice gone against Voldemort, then the child that had been marked by him.  So why kill James?  Just because he was in the way?  Because he'd annoyed Voldemort?  An unanswered question.

And does Harry's heart mean he's more powerful than Voldemort?

I like how she's developed the character of Neville further.  And that he had the potential to be Voldemort's rival.

As for ships...we've run through Harry/Cho.  Ron/Hermione wasn't touched.  I found it interesting that Cho was exceedingly jealous of Hermione.  Does this bode for a Harry/Hermione ship?  Was Ginny serious about Dean at the end?  And while Harry/Ginny wasn't explored, it wasn't ruled out (though Ginny says she's over Harry).

Many times I thought that I had read The Death.  First Hagrid, then McGonagall.  But for it to be Sirius?  I think I'm just still in shock or denial.

I didn't realize there was so much to this book until I began writing this.  I think I need to read it one more time this weekend.

~~Trisha~~

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