SATURDAY,JULY21,2007

　　HarryPotter7:DeathlyHallowsReview

　　Phew.Woah.I'mstillblownsideways.

　　Aftertenyears,shedidnotletusdown.Thedarkest,fastest-paced,mostdesperateanddynamicmagicaladventureofthe7-partseriescarriesthereaderalongfasterthanaspeedingbroomstickchasedbyDementors.Throughout,doubtsmustbebattled,fearsfaced,loyaltiestested,andgriefpostponedwhilstwell-lovedcharactersfall,chapterbychapter,yetthereisnotimetomourn.RowlingasanarratorhasgrownupandsohasHarry;thisnolongerfeelslikeachildren'sstorybutanepicmyth,theechoandinheritorofacenturies-ancienttaletoldandsungaroundfiresides,fullofsoundandfury,signifyingmorethanweliketoleton-thetugofoldarchetypeswealreadyknow,oldtaleswhichstillresonateheart-deep,withanyonewhohaseverwonderedwhowins,whenyoupitloveagainsthate,andhopeagainstnihilism.

　　Iamsuretherewillbesneerersandjeerersatthepowerofthecommercialspellcastworldwideandtheringingtillsatmidnight,theover-familiarityofthechildren's-storysyntax;theyaremissingthepoint.Thestoryofallhumankindisthestoryofastory-tellinganimalanditisonlythiswhichdistinguishesusfromtheothermammals,whenitcomestotheend.Wewillalwaysbeenchantedandenslavedbythetellingandre-tellingofthesamestoryweall,alwayswanttohear,againandagain.Theancientmagicoflightvs.darkness,heroismandstruggle,thebloodyclashofbattles,wrenchofsecretspainfullyrevealed;thewarriortested,thetorturousnightofthesoul,theslowlearningoftheterrible,yetwonderfulfactthatno-oneisalone,andthatintheend,helpcomes,fromfriends,fromstrangers,fromunexpectedsources;fromwithinandwithout,becauseoffaith,becauseofcourage,becauseoflove.Ofhowourownhumanitysavesus,howourweaknessisourstrength.

　　Sothislatestincarnationoftheold,oldtaleoftheresurrectedlostone,thelonelyonewhoisloved,theherowhodoubts,thechildwhoisadult,thegrieverrestored,thevictimwhotriumphs,theBoyWhoLived-isdeeplysatisfyinginthewayeveryonerecognises.Anyonewhohasfallenasleepattheendofastory,withtheauthor'spactsatisfied-Iwillletyoufrighten,anger,worryandscareme,ifyoumakeitallrightattheend.IfIlearnsomething,andiftheylive,ifnothappyeverafter,butiftheylive-willberepleteattheendingofthislongsaga.

　　Iprefertothinkitsenormoussucessisnotjustbecauseofcyncialhyper-successfulmarketing.Iprefertothinkthatitisbecauseweallloveastory,toldwell,beforewelaydowntosleepattheendofalongday.

　　N.B:Spoilersnotincluded.Ireadfast,IwishIdidn't,sometimes.I'mnotgoingtowreckitforyou-areyousittingcomfortably?..

　　Labels:books

　　POSTEDBYRACHELAT8:19PM