Thoughts on HP7

I finished HP7 on Tuesday and have been thinking about it for a while. I'm sure all the real HP7 Scholars have already thought of these things and have published their ideas, but since I come to them independently (not that anything any human being does is independent.) I figure these are my ideas as much as theirs. That said, this is what I think.

Style: Even though this was (one of?) the longest Harry Potter novels it seemed rushed. Did Ms. Rowling just throw this one together?

The Hallows and the Horcruxes: It might have been intentional, and it might have been my lack of sleep while reading the book, but keeping track of what the mission was (e.g. finding the hallows or destroying the horcruxes) was confusing. It all got jumbled up there for a while, didn't it? But maybe that was her intention. Like us, we sometimes forget that we are supposed to be busy laying the ax to the root of sin in our lives and try to save our lives instead. That seems to be the problem Harry, Ron, and Hermione had. THey were given the clues to find the hallows, which would have allowed them to defeat death. But in gathering the hallows they would have had to neglect their assigned mission: destroying the horcruxes that allowed the enemy to keep returning. "He who would save his life will lose it."

Harry's death: Harry had to die. He had been practicing this in the previous 6 books, but in HP7 he actually died in order that others might live. It reminded me of St. Justin Martyr of whom it was said he was a martyr for his whole life before he ever laid his head on the chopping block.

Teamwork: Harry only destroyed a couple of the horcruxes, while others destroyed the rest. He was helped in all he did by Dumbledore, Snape, Hermione, Ron, and dozens of others. To them belonged the victory. THis was a picture of the Communion of the saints, of life in the church. Evil is overcome in community. Voldmort, on the other hand, did everything alone and for himself. THe only time he did anything with others it was completley for selfish reasons. And when he died with Harry Voldemorts soul seemed to be a lonely, deformed, crying infant. While Harry's soul was described as "a man" and he was in the company of Dumbledore whom he loved. All of this reminded me of something said by the Archpriest Victor, "The only thing we do alone is go to Hell." That is what happened to Voldemort.

There is more, but these are the main things. I don't want to catalogue all the things, such as the sword/cross in the pool and the baptism there, that are obvios allusions to Christian thought and practice.

So, my review is mixed. It was a good ending to the story but it could have been written better.