SWMNBT and the Deathly Hallows Re-Read

I decided to re-read the entire Harry Potter series this year as a personal "Great Harry Potter Re-Read of 2009." I won't say it's complete yet, because I want to read The Tales of Beedle the Bard before the clock strikes midnight tomorrow.

However, I just finished re-reading Deathly Hallows.

Here are my super-gushy super-rambly thoughts WHICH DO CONTAIN SPOILERS.






THAT BOOK IS FUCKING AMAZING.

The first time I read it, I'd been out of the HP loop for a while, so characters, events, etc. must have been a little hazy to me. I think I also read it too quickly and anxiously--I wanted to know what was going to happen at the end; I didn't care too much about how we were getting there.

This time, having read all six prior books within a few months, everything about the Harry Potter universe was much more clear to me. And this time, I read the book slowly (well--as slowly as possible; there were definitely points where I got caught up in the excitement and sped up). And I found myself literally "hanging on every word," sometimes rereading lines or entire paragraphs. But this wasn't because I wanted to fully understand what was going on. I was just that captivated.

I have never had this experience reading a book before, and have never felt this way reading any other installment of the HP series.

There were so many times when I thought, "this book is perfect" or "this is so smart." Everything was so interesting to me; I felt like I was solving the mysteries Harry was solving with him. I wanted to know about Dumbledore's past, I wanted to know about the horcruxes, I wanted to know about everything as much as he did.

There were so many times I just fell in love with the characters all over again. Luna, and the mural on her ceiling. McGonagall, and her faith in Harry. Kreacher, and his war cry at the end. And Neville--how could you not feel immense and utter pride in Neville?

And this was the first time I really felt for Harry and all of his losses. This was the first time I really cried for Dobby. This was the first time I understood the depth and beauty of the scene where Harry uses the Resurrection Stone. This was the first time I appreciated the support and the cheers that came from the DA and the Order and everyone else who showed up to fight, because I understood what that support meant to Harry.

And how perfect was it that it was the Trio at the end? How perfect was it that they were in Dumbledore's office, where they were supposed to be, talking to Dumbledore, the way that they were supposed to be. How could it have ended any other way?

The entire time I read that, the story flowed vividly and intricately and I was captivated and delighted and saddened and entertained all at once. I fell in love again with that world and with those characters.

And while I realize that the book isn't perfect--and while I wish the Epilogue had not been written--and while I can't quite forgive the deaths of Hedwig, Dobby, and Fred--I love that book. I absolutely love it.