Long live the Harry potter series

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 181550

Geoff wrote:
> I agree with almost all your list, Alla - except certainly the 
epilogue. My moment, which I have quoted before, is the point in the
Great Hall when Harry and Voldemort reach the end of their
stand-offand the rising sun comes over the window sill as the final
spells are spoken.
> 
> That was a moment of sheer ecstasy? ...beauty? ...drama?  but it was
a moment to savour.


Carol responds:

For all its faults, DH was a highly emotional book. It made me laugh,
cry, punch my fist in triumph, and want to throw it across the room.
There was also the sheer horror and physical revulsion of
Bathilda!Nagini, which was risible but highly effective. Not many
books provide such an emotional roller coaster ride. (Apologies for
the cliche, but I really can't think of any other way to express it.)

My moments to savor (aside from the vindication of Snape and his
amazing last magical act, which were counterbalanced by his terrible
death) were Ron's rescue of Harry ("Are--you-*-mental*?" followed by
his highly symbolic destruction of the locket Horcrux and the Albus
Severus scene in which Harry describes Snape as "probably the bravest
man I ever knew."

I didn't hate the Epilogue, BTW, but I did have to read it twice to
figure out things like who Victoire was and why the chapter was
included at all. (Unlike other readers, I like the open-endedness of
the epilogue, which is rather spoiled when JKR supplies bits of
information regarding the characters' futures. I prefer to think that
Hagrid marries Madame Maxime after they both retire--and are too old
to produce more half-giant children, one quarter of whom would have
the genetic potential to be full giants, creating one monstrous
delivery problem for Madame Maxime!)

Carol, who also liked "King's Cross" because it enabled her to forgive
Dumbledore