YAfiction.com Book Review

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

 

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
    by Shari Green

    **contains spoilers**

She did it. Rowling completed the daunting task of wrapping up the plotlines of  a seven-book series with skill and style. Is The Deathly Hallows perfect? No. The middle wanders too long through scenes of helplessness and despair, giving me the sense that perhaps Rowling is guilty of padding to stretch through the typical school-year timeline. Aside from that, however, Rowling’s pacing is flawless. The plot, too, is well done: enticing and intriguing, neither too sappy nor too shocking (yes, Dobby’s death shocked and saddened me, but not in the way the loss of one of the three main characters would have).

The prolific symbolism and deep-rooted themes work well, with allusions – either intentional or not – to C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and the Bible. The one misstep is the horribly blatant proclamation of Harry as saviour and guide. Personally, I prefer subtlety.

I’ve heard criticism of Rowling’s characters being too black-and-white, but The Deathly Hallows, perhaps more than any of the other six books, shows more complex characters, which is quite satisfying. I’m delighted that Neville grew into a leader and that he gets to be a hero; I like that Dudley actually has a character arc; I’m not thrilled with the insights into Snape’s character, but overall his storyline has a fitting resolution; and Harry’s continued wrestling with his own “dark side” is very well done.

Each character’s voice is steady – a testament to Rowling’s skill – with one glaring exception: when Mrs. Weasley screams at Bellatrix, “Not my daughter, you bitch!”, I was jolted from the story, not by the curse per se, but by the leap out of voice. Some readers will disagree, notably Stephen King, who says the use of the b-word in this situation is “perfect”. (Who am I to disagree with both Rowling and King?)

My biggest complaint is the “nineteen years later” epilogue. I found it to be a tremendous letdown, so much so that I immediately re-read the second-to-last chapter to end the book where it should’ve ended. A writer friend of mine disagrees: she loves the epilogue. While I suppose Rowling wanted to provide closure and prevent questions such as “is Voldemort really dead?”, my cynical self feels the final chapter is the author’s way of opening (widely) the possibility of next-generation Hogwarts stories.

Despite my criticisms, I love the book. It’s good. Great, even. Well worth suffering through the months of over-done hype. I enjoyed it, my kids enjoyed it, and we’ll all read it again some day. Which reminds me: a pox on the nay-sayers who think Pottermania is doing nothing toward creating lifelong readers out of today’s HP fans. Kids are reading; adults are reading; it’s a good thing!

The Shadow Thieves, by Anne Ursu

--- Reviewed by Andie Marting

The Shadow Thieves

by Anne Ursu

Aladdin paperback, 2007, ages 9+

Anne Ursu’s new book has a great hook – "What if Greek myths were real?" The story doesn’t quite deliver on its tantalizing premise, but it’s an enjoyable read.

The book follows an American teenager, Charlotte, and her English cousin, Zachary (known as Zee), as they discover and foil an evil plot hatched in the Underworld. Hades has dismissed an ambitious bureaucrat named Philonecron, who plans to raise his own army of shadow warriors. The fastidious Philonecron dresses his evil henchmen in tuxedos and sends them above ground to steal children’s shadows to man the army. The shadowless children fall ill, and it’s up to Charlotte and Zee to figure out why. In an extended action sequence in the Underworld, the two teenagers overcome obstacles and save the day.

Ursu is at her best when modern America collides with Greek myth. Philonecron is no mastermind, just a frustrated, petty bureaucrat. Sure, he has the usual aim of world domination. But what he really wants is a little respect. Hades is a distracted manager who’s fallen out of touch with his growing organization. Smaller touches are deft: the Mall of America serves as the entry point for messengers of Death.

Undue cleverness seems to be Ursu’s weak spot. The opening of the book is so mannered that I nearly put it down. As a writer, I sympathize. We rework those first few pages so often that they can become disconnected from the rest of the narrative. I also understand the need for a distinctive voice. But the first pages should also pull the reader in rather than put her off.

Luckily the rest of the book is straightforward and readable. The plot takes off when it takes Zee’s perspective. Zee is more sympathetic than Charlotte, perhaps by design. Charlotte is prickly, a loner who envies Zee his easygoing manner and lies to manipulate adults. Ursu seems to want readers to identify with the insecure Charlotte, but the blander Zee, a good guy who just wants to do the right thing, emerges as the more sympathetic of the two. 

The Shadow Thieves resembles the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan in its lighthearted use of Greek mythology. But the Riordan series is more exciting and plot-driven, while Ursu’s book aims for richer characters and light social satire.

The Shadow Thieves is the first book in a series. The second, just out in hardback, is titled The Siren Song.