Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows -End of an Epoch

It was a cold Saturday morning when my friends and I ventured out to make our way to the line for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. As we joined millions around the world all making the same trek that morning, it was both a sad and joyous occasion. We were finally getting the conclusion to the series which had kept us in suspense for the past several years. On the opposite side of the coin though, it was the final book, and there would be no others.

All across the world stores were putting on big shows to welcome in the last book. From the smaller launches providing magicians and face painting, to the larger more extravagant celebrations like the one starring J.K. Rowling and providing the select few with goody-bags.

Jerry Cooke from the web’s biggest Harry Potter site, Mugglenet, was one in attendance and had this to say on the main page of the site: “As I continued round, surrounded by velvet drape and atmospheric lighting, I came across the next section of registration, where I received my goody-bag, which contained lots of little things like a commemorative poster, some balloons, a smoothy and some stickers.

Most importantly though, the bag contained the second immaculate first edition copy of Deathly Hallows of the night, but this time with a holographic authenticity sticker on the same page as would later be signed.”

Speculation was rife amongst the line I managed to help make up, and many new faces were met. And reviews are so far looking as if Rowling has hit the mark with her final entry in to the canon of the Potterverse.
But Rowling will be happy with the sales figures, with records being broken worldwide. In the U.S. a staggering 1.2 million copies were sold by Borders, with another 2.2 million pre-orders being filled by Seattle based online megastore Amazon.com. Similar figures are flowing in from other countries, with various records of pre-ordering, opening day sales and first weekend sales all hitting the roof and plowing straight through.

Of the book itself, I will say very little. The death-toll was high and devastating; the scenes which brought the book to its climax and end were saddening, leaving me in tears at times and holding my breath conversely. You will be happy with the book, I’d almost guarantee. At times Rowling let the book sag in to teen-angst that sent my blood boiling, but quickly pulled it back out.

It took me 12 hours to read, from front to back, and it was well worth my time. I’m saddened that the series has had to finish, but I was happy with the somewhat storybook ending that allowed me to move on without many unresolved issues. Will Rowling now stick to her promise of not to release any more canon books, or will she cave one day in the future and provide us with a sequel or even a prequel. We’ll just have to wait and see. For now though, enjoy your reading.

By the way – I may have been lying when I said it was a storybook ending… who knows, huh?

Posted by Josh Hill