Too predictable?

[Adesa]

No: HPFGUIDX 172967

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kimberly  Johnson" 
<kimberlyjohnson at ...> wrote:

> While it was an enjoyable book overall, did you HP experts think 
> that some of the main plotlines were too predictable, based on 
> the last two years of conversations on this board? 
> 
> RAB, Snape DDM and in love with Lily, and Harry as Horcrux, final 
> battle at Hogwarts, House elves fighting? By the time I got to 
> Harry as the final Horcrux, I pratically shouted out, "Oh good 
> grief!" 

Adesa:

Really? I found it to be surprising most of the way through. Yes, RAB 
was obvious...but Umbridge having the locket was a shock. And yes, 
Harry being a horcrux has been discussed ad nauseum, but I never really 
bought it, and Harry's handling of it made up for its lack of 
originality.

Of *course* there's going to be a big battle at Hogwarts in the end, 
but I didn't expect all the smaller scuffles right from the very 
beginning. The house elves fighting wasn't a real shocker, either, but 
Kreacher's turnaround and Dobby's death were both unexpected.

And Snape...JKR really had me starting to doubt his DDM status. I kept 
waiting for the Big Reveal that didn't come until his deathbed. I was 
left unsurprised but relieved and feeling quite sorry for Snape's lot 
in life.
 
> (who was waiting for Ron to yell "my precious!" before destroying 
> the locket.

Adesa:

I have to say, the wearing-the-locket-makes-you-grumpy thing was *too* 
LotR for me. I get that there was supposed to be an emtional connection 
so of course it would start to affect them, but still...JKR usually 
lifts from obscure stories and myths, not such obvious sources.

All in all, though, I found DH to be anything *but* predictable. There 
were many ways this story could have gone, and though parts of it went 
the way many expected, in the whole it was surprising. Where the plot 
itself was predictable, it was handled well or had a twist added. 

Loved it. (OK, except the epilogue...)
Adesa in Virginia