OoP Death & First Impressions

[Aberforth's Goat]

Ali wrote,

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> I finished to book about an hour ago. I stayed up til 5 in the
> morning -long after Catherine had called it a day.
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> I'm still emotionally drained. Why did she have to? I didn't want
> anyone to die. But Sirius? I wanted him to be pardoned, to take up
> his position as Harry's godfather. Not to die some kind of weird
> death through a veil.

Whew! Just finished. And I'm rather shocked. Though I felt it was coming.
There *was* a stunned moment when I thought that Hermione had bought the
farm - that had me so shell-shocked that Sirius' death didn't quite
register.

You know, this is going to play havoc with our fanfiction!

* * * * *

So what do you guys think? I read at a breakneck speed, can't really claim
to have really tasted the book. Still, some first thoughts:

- It's another gripping read - mostly. I thought the plot seemed to drag in
the second half. Maybe I was just tired, though.

- No trick ending!

- There was some of JKR's signature humor, but less than the last few. Pity.

- OTOH, I was fascinated to see Harry having complicated emotions. He seemed
more real this time. In fact, a whole bunch of people seemed more 3d: Ron,
Molly, Ginny, in particular.

- Also, the moral issues have taken on a new level of complexity. The
Sorting Hat is having second thoughts about its job; James & Sirius are
acting like pricks. I'm happy about that. Draco redemption still seems
pretty far off, though ...

Well ... here's to the next three years!

Baaaaaa!

Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray)
_______________________

"Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not
have been bravery...."

NEWS: Check out chapter 2 of the Viagramus Curse. Fanfiction
that puts the dense back in decadence.
http://www.riddikulus.org/authors/agoat/VC02.html