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Executive Times |
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2007 Book Reviews |
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Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling |
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Rating: |
*** |
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(Recommended) |
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Click on
title or picture to buy from amazon.com |
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Finished The Harry
Potter story is finished. There’s even an epilogue in Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows, so can reasonably expect this to be the
last book of the series. It’s neither the best nor the worst. Set for the
most part outside Hogwarts, there isn’t the same atmosphere as in the earlier
books. It’s a darker story. If you’ve come this far, you might as well finish
up by reading Deathly
Hallows. I assume that by the time the movie comes out, the 400 or so superfluous
pages of the book won’t be filmed, and the end result will be an improved
story, but don’t say that to anyone under age 12. Here’s an excerpt, from the
beginning of Chapter 3, “The Dursleys Departing,”
pp. 30-33: The sound of the front door
slamming echoed up the stairs and a voice yelled, “Oi!
You!” Sixteen years of being
addressed thus left Harry in no doubt whom his uncle
was calling; nevertheless, he did not immediately respond. He was still
gazing at the mirror fragment in which, for a split second, he had thought he
saw Dumbledore’s eye. It was not until his uncle bellowed, “BOY!” that Harry
got slowly to his feet and headed for the bedroom door, pausing to add the
piece of broken mirror to the rucksack filled with things he would be taking
with him. “You took your time!”
roared Vernon Dursley when Harry appeared at the
top of the stairs. “Get down here, I want a word!” Harry strolled downstairs,
his hands deep in his jeans pockets. When he reached the living room he found
all three Dursleys. They were dressed for
traveling: Uncle Vernon in a fawn zip-up jacket, Aunt Petunia in a neat
salmon-colored coat, and “Yes?”
asked Harry. “Sit down!” said Uncle
Vernon. Harry raised his eyebrows. “Please!” added
Uncle Vernon, wincing slightly as though the word was sharp in his throat. Harry sat. He thought he
knew what was coming. His uncle began to pace up and down, Aunt Petunia and
Dudley following his movements with anxious expressions. Finally, his large
purple face crumpled with concentration, Uncle Vernon stopped in front of
Harry and spoke. “I’ve
changed my mind,” he said. “What a surprise,” said
Harry. “Don’t you take that tone —“ began Aunt Petunia in a shrill voice, but
Vernon Dursley waved her down. “It’s all
a lot of claptrap,” said Uncle Vernon, glaring at Harry with piggy little
eyes. “I’ve decided I don’t believe a word of it. We’re staying put, we’re
not going anywhere.” Harry
looked up at his uncle and felt a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
Vernon Dursley had been changing his mind every
twenty-four hours for the past four weeks, packing and unpacking and
repacking the car with every change of heart. Harry’s favorite moment had
been the one when Uncle Vernon, unaware that “According to you,” Vernon Dursley said now, resuming his pacing up and down the
living room, “we — Petunia,
“Some of ‘my lot,’ right,”
said Harry. “Well, I don’t believe it,”
repeated Uncle Vernon, coming to a halt in front of Harry again. “I was awake
half the night thinking it all over, and I believe it’s a plot to get the
house.” “The
house?” repeated Harry. “What house?” “This
house!” shrieked Uncle
Vernon, the vein in his forehead starting to pulse. “Our house! House prices are skyrocketing around here! You want
us out of the way and then you’re going to do a bit of hocus-pocus and before
we know it the deeds will be in your name and —” “Are you out of your mind?”
demanded Harry. “A plot to get this house? Are you actually as stupid as you
look?” “Don’t you dare — !” squealed Aunt Petunia, but again, “Just in
case you’ve forgotten,” said Harry, “I’ve already got a house, my godfather
left me one. So why would I want this one? All the happy memories?” There was silence. Harry
thought he had rather impressed his uncle with this argument. “You claim,” said Uncle
Vernon, starting to pace yet again, “that this Lord Thing —“ “—
Voldemort,” said Harry impatiently, “and we’ve
been through this about a hundred times already. This isn’t a claim, it’s
fact, Dumbledore told you last year, and Kingsley and Mr. Weasley —“ Vernon Dursley
hunched his shoulders angrily, and Harry guessed that his uncle was
attempting to ward off recollections of the unannounced visit, a few days
into Harry’s summer holidays, of two fully grown wizards. The arrival on the
doorstep of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley had come as a most unpleasant shock to the Dursleys. Harry had to admit, however, that as Mr. Weasley had once demolished half of the living room, his
reappearance could not have been expected to delight Uncle Vernon. “— Kingsley
and Mr. Weasley explained it all as well,” Harry
pressed on remorselessly. “Once I’m seventeen, the protective charm that
keeps me safe will break, and that exposes you as well as me. The Order is
sure Voldemort will target you, whether to torture
you to try and find out where I am, or because he thinks by holding you
hostage I’d come and try to rescue you.” Uncle
Vernon’s and Harry’s eyes met. Harry was sure that in that instant they were
both wondering the same thing. Then Uncle Vernon walked on and Harry
resumed, “You’ve got to go into hiding and the Order wants to help. You’re
being offered serious protection, the best there is.” Uncle
Vernon said nothing, but continued to pace up and down. Outside the sun hung
low over the privet hedges. The next-door neighbor’s lawn mower stalled
again. “I thought there was a
Ministry of Magic?” asked Vernon Dursley abruptly. “There
is,” said Harry, surprised. “Well, then, why can’t they
protect us? It seems to me that, as innocent victims, guilty of nothing more
than harboring a marked man, we ought to qualify for government protection!” Harry
laughed; he could not help himself. It was so very typical of his uncle to
put his hopes in the establishment, even within this world that he despised
and mistrusted. You heard what Mr. Weasley and Kingsley said,” Harry replied. We think the
Ministry has been infiltrated.” The Harry
Potter series has been a cultural event, so reading Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows makes one part of the total global
cultural experience. Or, you can wait for the movie. Steve Hopkins,
August 25, 2007 |
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The recommendation rating for
this book appeared in the September
2007 issue of Executive Times URL for this review: http://www.hopkinsandcompany.com/Books/Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows.htm For Reprint Permission,
Contact: Hopkins & Company, LLC • E-mail: books@hopkinsandcompany.com |
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