Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Review

The last book of a phenomenal series in the history of book-dom is finally brought to its closure with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final chapter of the boy who lived. Within the pages of this book, readers will get closure as they obtain long-awaited answers and witness puzzles from all the previous books falling into place. Rowling does not disappoint and from the very beginning, readers are thrown into the thick of action.

Being the ‘chosen one’, Harry has been given the task to vanquish the most evil wizard – Lord Voldemort, for “neither can live while the other survives”. Most would take this as a curse, but Harry takes it in his stride and eliminates his enemies one by one, at the same time finding love and also seeking truth along the way. Hallows is very different from the previous books for it is sombre, and has death written all over it. Rowling said characters would die, and they do, with unnerving speed. Most of the characters (or creatures) who die are real shockers and this might leave readers fighting back tears.

The sense of humour, wonderment, and charm that are present in many of the previous books is also largely absent here. There are light moments, of course, but the time for cracking jokes about earwax-flavoured beans is over. This is war. In this book, readers will also come to understand that sometimes people are not always what they appear to be. The kindly Dumbledore, sinister Severus Snape and perhaps even the awful Muggle cousin Dudley may be more complicated than they initially seem, that all of them, like Harry himself, have hidden aspects to their personalities, and in the end, choice — more than talent or predisposition — matters most of all.

All in all, this may not be the longest book, but it packs the most punch. After a decade, Rowling has brought the entire series to a finale that will satisfy most of her fans. And even after wrapping things up with a fine finish, Rowling delights by including a ’19 years later’ epilogue that allows us to glimpse the future of the wizarding world. This is a true literary classic. The conclusion of Harry Potter's story is a masterfully told tale of love, loss, hope and the triumph of good over evil. And with this paramount work, J.K. Rowling secures her place in the pantheon of classic fantasy authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Rating: 4.5/5

PS: Yet another review. I know it's short but they didn't want it long. =.=. Hope it gets published!