Readers rave about ‘Deathly Hallows’
MSNBC.com users laughed, cried, cheered — for the most part — final book
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MSNBC
Updated: 5:15 p.m. ET July 23, 2007
The final book in the “Harry Potter” series has been released and MSNBC.com readers are pouring through their copies.

Below is a collection of some of their reactions to “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and the frenzy surrounding the release. Beware — spoilers lurk.

I thought that the book was wonderful. It tied up all of the loose ends and was incredibly entertaining along the way. Everyone knew that Snape was good and I'm so glad that J.K. Rowling made him into a hero, he always deserved to be one. I do wish that Sirius would have made more of a return than he did, but in the case of Dumbledore's history, Rowling made up for his loss entirely. I'm so happy that Harry was in turn a horcrux, I thought that that might be the road that she would take and it really made it that much more great when Harry overtook Voldemort. This book was just so incredibly creative! It took me all of my Saturday (almost the true 24 hours) to finish and to really soak everything in, and it was well worth the wait for such a spectacular ending. It really lives up to the hype, plus some.
— Anastacia, Pinellas Park, Fla.

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I guess you could call me the Simon Cowell of Harry Potter books, but I actually did not enjoy the last book. I feel it lacked true, deep composition and it lacked valuable literary devices which can be used to illuminate the reader's imagination. Further more, I felt like Rowling led us on to believe Harry was going to die and then gave the finale an unsatisfying ending. I feel the epilogue was too sugary & sweet and not well thought-out by Rowling. So yes, I do criticize Harry Potter #7. I apologize to all the MSNBC readers who disagree with me!
— TJ Volcheck, Bakers Mill, NY

It was terribly sad that the series had to end. In fact when Harry thought he was dead I almost threw up. It was awful to see all thoughts people die. I did love the ending! It was exactly how I thought it would end. I had a hunch that Ron and Hermione would get married and Harry and Ginny too. They are perfect for each other. The part I was really amazed by is that Harry and Ginny had 3 kids (which I thought was going to happen!) And I thought they were going to name one of them Lily and another James, which was kind of creepy to have a hunch that actually came true because that never happens to me. Anyways I cried after I finished because I didn't want the series to end. I hope the magic will live forever. J.K. Rowling has changed the world and made my life worth living. I feel so close to Harry Potter, and I love the series and character and the ending it was wonderful!
— Virginia Ellis

The book, in my opinion, wasn't so great, up until about page 350. It was a little bit boring, but that might just be due to my disappointment about them not returning to Hogwarts. However, the ending was absolutely fantastic, and although I had part of the twist figured out already, Rowling threw in a few other things that totally threw me off guard. Snape's memories were, by far, the best part of the book. So much was uncovered in this book. However, the "Nineteen Years Later" part was a bit sugary and unrealistic...I was hoping it would end with another conflict that would keep you guessing after you put the book down. However, Rowling never fails at writing an amazingly intriguing book, especially not this time. Thanks.
— Hailey, Olympia, Wash.

I thought the ending was weak for a Harry Potter book and especially for the end of the series. There really was only a few ways it could have ended conclusively and even Rowling was too predictable in how she intended to end it any how. That and it ended abruptly with no recourse or explanation of the previous 19 years in the epilogue was disappointing. Draco's animosity toward Harry Potter seems to have abated quite a bit. Whoop-de-doo. He was never that important of a character compared to the others that readers have come to know and love — i.e., the Weasleys, the Order of the Phoenix, Harry himself, etc. I mean, had it not seemed as if Rowling just wanted to end the series I would've been fine, but the lack of history and following up on what happened to her characters was pretty inconsistent. Harry obviously got married and knocked up Ginny. Whatever happened to Severus? Was he finally exonerated in the wizarding world? What about Voldemort's body? These really aren't unreasonable complaints. The book is already closing in 800 pages by itself, I really don't think another 25-40 dedicated to a better epilogue would have killed Rowling.
— Sean, Princeton, Ind.



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I liked the book in whole. Rowling pieced a lot together nicely. I didn't like the fact that Harry, in the end, didn't kill Voldemort! Voldemort killed himself with his own curse that was intended for Harry. The ending ("19 years later") left a lot of open questions for me as far as their lives on a personal level. What are Ron, Hermione and Harry doing for a living now? Who is running Hogwarts? She pleased a lot of fan with having Ron and Hermione marry as well as Harry and Ginny but ... I would have liked to know more about their lives other than the fact that they all have kids who are off to Hogwarts now. I felt that a lot more of the past 19 years could have been explained better.
— Jenny, Wentzville, Mo.

I very much love the way J.K. Rowling ended this series. It was a great book. I actually prefer books that leave a bit of room at the end for imagination. I was a bit disappointed about the whole Dudley/Aunt Petunia thing, though. In books 5 and 6, she hinted that there was much, much more to Dudley than we had previously been shown. And Aunt Petunia seemed to know a lot about a world she usually pretended to ignore. Rowling gave us yet more of the Dudley/Aunt Petunia twist in this last one. We now know why Aunt Petunia hated her sister. But as this was supposed to be the last book in the series, she should have done more with it, let us know what Dumbledore meant when he said Petunia had done things to Dudley. Maybe we will see an off-shoot of this series focusing on Harry's family, either past, present, or future? I hope so.
— Rebecca, Denver

If it sold millions of copies, who really cares if it lived up to the hype? She has the money in her account, and I don't think the dissatisfied are going to get much of a refund. I wouldn't pay a nickel for the book myself, but what do I know?
— Ron Yageman, Wyandotte, Mich.

I enjoyed the book immensely and thought it closed the series well. I read it in one day, slept on it, and went back to read the last few chapters — especially "King's Cross" again to truly understand it. I am impressed by the complexity of the level of magic that Rowling delved into and the bravery and selflessness Harry showed when facing Voldemort. Like the others, I also feel that the "19 years later" bit was disappointing. Something like 5 years in the future such as dropping in at the wedding of Harry and Ginny and given us an update on the Weasleys, Teddy Tonks, and everyone else and what they were doing would have been much more satisfactory than what was presented. But perhaps Ms. Rowling intends for us to use our imaginations. All in all, it was well done. Thank you for the wonderful ride Ms. Rowling, it has been magical.
— Elissa Blabac, Phoenix

I read it quickly because I wanted to know whether or not Harry survives, but I wasn't about to read the end first! Now, I am reading it again — more slowly, to savor the details. But while I am pleased with the way it ended, I do have a few bones to pick. First, I found I really missed the folks at Hogwarts — especially Neville, whose voice (once we heard it) sounded so much more confident and mature than the last time we saw him. Obviously a LOT went on at Hogwarts while Harry, Ron and Hermione were in hiding, and I'd have liked for Rowling to "check in" with the Hogwarts kids from time to time to see their evolution into a committed fighting force. I wonder if she remembers that we fans love more characters than just the Big Three. Also, the epilogue raised more questions than it answered — we knew who would end up with whom, the question is what are they DOING? Where do they work? How's Luna, how's Neville, how are the rest of the Weasleys? I really would like to know what a wizarding world looks like 19 years after the fall of Voldemort, and the epilogue just didn't do it.
— Valerie Lynn, Nashville, Tenn.




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Updated: 2:51 p.m. ET July 24, 2007
NEW YORK - The fate of Harry Potter and friends, known now to millions of fans, remains officially secret — sort of.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the final volume of author J.K. Rowling's fantasy series, came out Saturday amid an international frenzy to find out whether Harry lived or died. More than 10 million copies sold over the weekend and the suspense was apparently unbroken by a wave of prerelease Internet spoilers, including photographed images of the entire book.

Days after publication, Harry's lot has been widely revealed, but you're unlikely to find out by accident. At least two online publications, Slate and Salon, describe the plot at length, but carry emphatic spoiler alerts. Videos labeled as spoilers have popped up on YouTube. Readers spill on the fan sites mugglenet.com and leaky-cauldron.org, but, again, those linking to discussion boards are warned.

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"I think we should have at least a few months, allow people to read and discuss and digest before blasting it from headlines," says Leaky Cauldron Web master Melissa Anelli. "It will be at least that long before we reveal a plot detail on Leaky that we don't put behind a link."

Both The (Baltimore) Sun and The New York Times were inundated with angry e-mails for running prepublication reviews, although both avoided major plot points. Radio station WNYC, in New York City, was supposed to air a review Monday — two days after the book came out — but changed it to a general discussion about spoilers because of concerns over giving away the ending.


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A two-part interview with Rowling, who before publication had begged for secrecy, will air Thursday and Friday on NBC-TV's "Today" show. Kyle Good, a spokeswoman for Rowling's U.S. publisher, Scholastic, Inc., declined comment on what the author will say.

Scholastic issued the book under a strict embargo and sued one retailer, DeepDiscount.com, after some customers received early copies.

When asked by The Associated Press about post-release spoilers, Good said that Scholastic's only request was not to reveal anything before the publication date.

Rowling, whose seven Potter books have sold more than 335 million copies worldwide, acknowledged during a recent, prerelease interview with The Associated Press that she had no control over discussions once "Deathly Hallows" went on sale.

Slide show

Harry Potter mania
Fans line up worldwide to buy their copy of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

"I suppose it's fair game," she said. "You can't be too precious about this stuff. Obviously, as a writer I would prefer people to be able to sit down and read it and discover the ending through reading the whole story. But with 'Half-Blood Prince,' people dangled a sheet over a flyover (overpass) the next day — 'Snape kills Dumbledore.' Part of me does find that very funny; I can't help myself."

The author seemed more bothered by readers who peek at the ending first.

"I loathe people who say, 'I always read the ending of the book first.' That really irritates me," she said. It's like someone coming to dinner, just opening the fridge and eating pudding, while you're standing there still working on the starter. It's not on."
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/19935234/
More About Harry Potter Book Seven
From Elizabeth Kennedy,
Your Guide to Children's Books.
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(Continued from Page 1)
Learn More and Discuss Harry Potter 7
Dateline: 2006

When will J.K. Rowling Finish Harry Potter Book 7?
Neither Rowling or her publisher has made any statements about a projected date of publication. In a September 13, 2006 entry on her Web site, Rowling mentions taking her manuscript with her on her August trip to New York. She reports that because of security issues, she was almost not allowed to carry her manuscript on board the plane on her return trip to England, but permission was finally granted. She goes on to say that she is now trying to decide between two possible titles for Harry Potter Seven and states, "They would both be appropriate, so I think I'll have to wait until I'm further into the book to decide which one works best." That certainly sounds like she has a long way to go before the manuscript is finished.
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Who Will Die in Harry Potter Book 7?
Some of the biggest questions Harry Potter fans have about Harry Potter Book 7 revolve around death. Fans want to know, "Will any characters we care about die?" "Will Harry Potter live or die?" We now have some, but not all, of the answers. According to news reports, in a June 26 television interview on the Richard and Judy show in the UK, Rowling mentioned that she had written the last chapter of Book 7 in 1990 but had done some rewriting since then. The Telegraph reported that during the interview, Rowling stated,
"One character got a reprieve but I have to say two die that I did not intend to die." When asked if the dead characters were "much-loved ones", she replied: "A price has to be paid. We are dealing with pure evil here. They don't target extras, do they? They go for the main characters. . . well, I do."
While Rowling did not specifically state the fate of Harry Potter, she did say she understood why an author would kill off main characters to prevent "non-author written sequels."
Dateline: 2005

In celebration of the publication of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Joanne Kathleen Rowling granted several interviews in July 2005. While the focus of the interviews was on Harry Potter 6, the subject of Harry Potter Book 7 came up, and some of J.K. Rowling’s answers did shed light on her main character and what we might expect in the final Harry Potter book.

When Can We Expect Harry Potter Book 7 to Be Published?
Although she said she’d started Harry Potter 7, J.K. Rowling stated that because of wanting to devote time to her baby,
"Realistically, I don't think I'm going to be able to do real work on it until next year. I see next year as the time that I’m really going to write seven. But I've started and I am doing little bits and pieces here and there when I can." (July 16, 2005 MuggleNet / The Leaky Cauldron joint interview with Joanne Kathleen Rowling).
How Many Pages Will Harry Potter Book 7 Be?
"I do not yet know really how long the seventh book will be, although I have a plan, I have not yet plotted it out chapter by chapter, so I cannot really tell you. I do not think it will be as long as Order of the Phoenix, but I am going to reserve the right to make it as long as that if I want to." (BBC report on J.K. Rowling’s July 17, 2005 Press Conference)
How Much of A Role Are the Founders Going to Play in Harry Potter Book 7?
"Some, as you probably have guessed from the end of six." (MuggleNet / The Leaky Cauldron joint interview with Joanne Kathleen Rowling)
Will Harry Potter Die in Harry Potter Book 7?
"Am I going to finish Harry off? I cannot possibly tell you that, I'm sorry." (J.K. Rowling’s July 17, 2005 Press Conference)
What Does J.K. Rowling Think of Harry Potter?
In response to the question "Do you feel Harry Potter is a good role model for a generation?" Rowling stated,
"I see Harry as someone who is struggling to do the right thing, who is not without faults, who acts impetuously as you would expect someone of his age to act, but who is ultimately a very loyal person, and a very very courageous person. So, in as much as he has qualities that I admire most I would say he is a good role model. That doesn't mean that he is saintly, but then frankly, who is? But I think you do see enough of Harry's inner life, the workings of his mind in the books to know that he is ultimately human, struggling to do the right thing, which I think is admirable." (Transcript of the Harry Potter Children’s Press Conference Weekend , July 17, 2005)
What Will Harry Potter Book 7 Be Like?
"'It will be a very different kind of book,' she says, 'because I kind of cue up the shot at the end of six, and you're left with a very clear idea of what Harry's going to do next.'" ( Time Magazine, posted July 17, 2005)
Will we learn what happens to the characters after Hogwarts in Harry Potter Book 7?
"There is already a chapter written in which you find out about the survivors post Hogwarts fates, so, I will have to re¬write it when I get there, because that was written years ago and it wasn't really written on the assumption that I would use it as it is written in the hooks, it is really an act of faith, it was me saying to myself 'I will get here and this information is the end point and that is where I'm trying to get to. So yes, there will be.'" (J.K. Rowling’s July 17, 2005 Press Conference)
Where Can We Find More Information About Harry Potter Book 7?
You will find even more information that relates to Harry Potter 6 and Harry Potter 7 by reading the full Mugglenet / The Leaky Cauldron interview with JK Rowling and the July 17, 2005 Transcript of the Harry Potter Children’s Press Conference Weekend. Check J.K. Rowling’s Web site regularly also. At the end of December, 2005, in her online diary, Rowling wrote, "I have been fine-tuning the fine-tuned plan for [book] seven during the past few weeks so I can really set to work in January."
Share Your Thoughts About Harry Potter Book 7
I have started a Harry Potter 7 discussion on the About Children’s Books Forum and invite you to share your thoughts about the book by posting a message on the Forum.

Harry Potter Book 7 Facts
From Elizabeth Kennedy,
Your Guide to Children's Books.
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What Is J.K .Rowling Saying About Harry Potter Book 7?
As soon as readers of all ages finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, a clamor arose as to when Harry Potter Book 7 would be published and how author J.K. Rowling would end the series. There were so many incorrect rumors about Harry Potter 6 before it was published that I decided to ignore the rumors and stick to the author's own words about Harry Potter Book 7.

Note: - See All About Harry Potter 7 for more articles and FAQs.

Dateline: July 10, 2007

Will There Be Another Harry Potter Book?
In response to the Save Harry campaign spearheaded by those ancxious for Harry to live and more books to be written, J.K. Rowling, who in the past had said this was it, the last Harry Potter book, stated, "never say never."
"'I think that Harry's story comes to quite a clear end, sadly,' Rowling said."
"But I've always said that I wouldn't say never.

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I can't say I'll never write another book about that world just because I think, what do I know in 10 years time...? But I think it's unlikely." (ABC News Australia, July 10, 2007)
Dateline: May 14, 2007
J.K. Rowling Makes A Plea For No Spoilers
Today, in a diary entry on her Web site, J.K. Rowling expressed concern about people with knowledge about the plot of Harry Potter Book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, revealing the information. She thanked the Harry Potter fansite The Leaky Cauldron for its April 28th editorial condemning spoilers. Rowling stated,
"The Leaky Cauldron's early mission statement on spoilers (ie, don't, and we're not putting them up if you do) is deeply appreciated by yours truly. . . . I want the readers who have, in many instances, grown up with Harry, to embark on the last adventure they will share with him without knowing where they are they going."
Dateline: February 6, 2007
J.K. Rowling Reveals Her Feelings on Completing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Today, in an extended diary entry on her Web site that begins with a quotation from Charles Dickens, J.K. Rowling shares her mixed emotions at having completed the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in her Harry Potter series. Rowling reveals, "I've never felt such a mixture of extreme emotions in my life, never dreamed I could feel simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric." Rowling goes on to reassure fans, "If it comes as any consolation, I think there will be plenty to continue arguing and speculating about even after 'Deathly Hallows' comes out." Rowling ends the diary entry by revealing that of all the Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is her favorite.
Dateline: February 1, 2007

We Now Know the Publication Date of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!
On February 1, 2007, J.K. Rowling's American publisher, Scholastic, announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released at 12:01 a.m. on July 21, 2007. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be published by Scholastic in hardcover (ISBN: 0-545-01022-5), under the Arthur A. Levine imprint. The book will be illustrated by Mary GrandPré, the illustrator of previous six Harry Potter books. The deluxe edition (ISBN: 0-545-02937-6) and reinforced library edition (ISBN: 0-545-02936-8) will also be released at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, July 21, 2007. On February 1, 2007, J.K. Rowling confirmed this on her Web site and also announced the same publication date in the UK and "in other English speaking countries around the world."
Dateline: December 21, 2006

We Know Know the Title! It's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The word is out! The title of Harry Potter Book 7 is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. According to BBC News and a number of other news sources, and confirmed by her U.S. publisher, Scholastic, the announcement was made on J.K. Rowling's Web site. If you missed it, here's why. According to Bloomberg.com, "The title of the seventh book in the series was revealed through a puzzle on the British writer's Web site, where visitors have to click on items to reveal a chamber and then guess the name of the book from the clues given." If you want to try it, see the Seattle Times article about it for some assistance.
We Don't Know the Publication Date Yet
If there's a title, does that mean Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is almost done? In J.K. Rowling's December 19th online diary entry, the first entry in quite some time, the author states,
"I am now writing scenes that have been planned, in some cases, for a dozen years or even more. I don't think anyone who has not been in a similar situation can possibly know how this feels: I am alternately elated and overwrought. I both want, and don't want, to finish this book (don't worry, I will)."
However, no finish date is mentioned or implied. On Scholastic's site, the publisher states, in reference to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, "The publication date has not been set."
Dateline: October-November 2006

Is J.K. Rowling Making Any Progress on Harry Potter Book 7?
In a November 28 article about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince winning a Royal Mail Award for Scottish Children's Books, Scotsman.com reported on the message J.K. Rowling sent that was read by her editor at the awards ceremony. In the message, Rowling stated, "I'm sorry I am unable to receive this award in person today, but I currently have my head down writing the final book, which is coming along nicely."
After reporting in September that she was trying to decide between two possible titles for Harry Potter 7, on October 31, J.K. Rowling reported on her Web site that, "I've now got a third title...Title three currently ahead by a nose,..."


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