Sunday, July 29, 2007

The last scent of the Harry Potter Soup…


Back in 1997, the Harry Potter concept was new, thrilling, entertaining and addictive at the same time. The magic of J.K. Rowling was working out on all Muggles. We just couldn't have enough of it and kept on waiting, more than impatiently, when the next book would eventually come out. We had to know what happens to Potter and his two closest friends. I was quite young myself in those days and willingly let myself drown in the fantasy of the Wizarding World. Throughout these past 10 years, experiencing Harry has been more than a thirst-quenching experience and I ought to say that Rowling has an immense imagination and loads of stuff which none of us would ever know – her own little secrets and facts about her characters and their wizarding environment.

I just grabbed and finished my long-awaited copy of the seventh and final installment of franchise and I believe its an awesome read. You have no time to think. The way it has been written is spectacularly blissful and coherent. Though you would want to grab a dictionary to check up on those words you have never seen before, but just the idea of leaving the text is painful and as such you would want to continue and forget about those un-understandable words. We can all do without them. Harry is far more important than a couple of high-sounding syllables. Though many of us would have expected a particular ending considering the facts mentioned in the 5th Book. Things don't turn out that way, fortunately (or unfortunately!).

And l have this strange feeling that ideas may have been copied from somewhere else. Being a big-time science-fiction addicted lover, it wasn't hard for me to morph in to the context in which some scenes in the book were set.

// SPOILER WARNING … DON'T READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HATE SPOILERS AND DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE STORYLINE … YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED \\

Let's take for example some scenes in the forest, they oddly resemble those in lord of the rings. And the elves!!? Well, I would attribute the proper literary-belonging of elves as the magnificent beings created by J.R.R Tolkien. Many have speculated that Rowling has tarnished and dirtied without hesitation the marvelous creation of Tolkien's work and I completely agree with them. Being much more of a Tolkien fan, I do support this ideology. But the way she has used these creatures and made them into her own is more revolting I believe. Anyway, this is out of context.

The scene which many of us might have recollected as belonging to one of first scenes of the "The Matrix Revolutions" is after the "death" of Harry! After indeed getting shot by the killing curse (Avada Kedavra), Harry is sent to a sort of place like a station between the real and imaginary worlds, just like Neo being sent to the station after stopping those sentinels. And the similarity between both scenes is that they both take place in a train station!!!

Well, I was amazed by the way the story ends. I daresay I hadn't expected that ending at all. The end was good, but Rowling has left many questions unanswered! Let's give it a shot…

  1. What's happens to Harry after the last battle?
  2. What becomes of Harry? What's his job? Did he manage to become an Auror or not?
  3. What did Harry do the years following the downfall of Voldemort?
  4. What of the Wizarding community's reactions to Snape's doings and allegiance?
  5. Who takes control of Hogwarts, in the sense that who becomes Headmaster or Headmistress?
  6. What's the Wizarding World upto after all the events of the Battle of Hogwarts?
  7. What of the Weasley family? Nothing much is mentioned about them? What happens to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley?

There are many other questions as well, pertaining to the staff of Hogwarts like McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick and the rest. Nothing is said about them though they have been important characters since the very first book.


I am disappointed as I was supposing the author would answer these questions but nonetheless I was very intrigued and taken by the book. Its one heavenly read not to miss for anything…Muggles, tighten your seat bells and prepare yourselves for the last of the Harry Potter Magic…Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows…A definite read. Marvelous work Mrs. Rowling, History shall remember you forever…Harry has been indeed etched in the hearts of many.


Cheers and farewell.