Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

After many years of reading Harry Potter, I was greatly anticipating this last installment. I also feared it, due to all the rumors that were flying around. I kept telling myself that our hero will come out safe from this encounter as he has done in the past, but inside, I had my own doubts.
I have enjoyed this series greatly but I think i enjoyed it more than most because my daughter so loved it. She, as most of American children, grew up with Harry Potter and kept that magic alive for me.

Well this final installment finds Harry about to turn 17 and the charms that have kept him safe all this time are about to be broken. The Order of the Phoenix try their best to get him to safety with so many dementors and spies around but they do not realize that Harry, Ron & Hermione are on a mission to find all the horacruxes that make up Voldemort, as per Dumbledore's direction. This is a mission that is at risk many times as Harry questions everything around him.

I really need to keep this review vague since there is so much to give away. The deaths start up early in the book and the final battle claims others we have come to love, but I will offer one spoiler... Our Trio come out Alive.

I found that there was a point in the book that dragged a bit, especially in the middle when the trio set off in search of the horacruxes and, really, had no direction what so ever. They didn't have a clue where to look. Imagine looking for something around the world and not knowing where to start. I felt desperate on their behalf.

We find out a lot about Dumbledore and his past, and it's not what we would expect from the character we all have respected and learned to love. I like the way Rowling has been pulling us along and letting us view these characters from Harry's perspective, There is always a sense of black and white in our judgments. This book introduces the shades of gray that goes with every human frailty. We see everyone from a different perspective and learn to accept these faults.

This series is not one to disappoint. If you have never read a Harry Potter book, you must start from the beginning. It is a long journey but worth every page.

BTW: Don't miss Jo's commentaries of Harry's life after the final page at Mugglenet.com

Grade: A
Format: Audiobook