Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Rowling, J.K. (2007).  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  New York: Arthur A. Levine.

This book is a challenged book and spent many weeks on the N.Y. Times Bestseller list.

Harry Potter, "The Boy who lived", was a 7th year wizard by the writing of this book.  He had been through many things that a 18 year old should never have to deal with.  He had been through all of it because of a prophecy that linked his name to a bad wizard named Voldemort.  Instead of returning to school he decided to go out and find the horcruxes (items that held part of Voldemort's soul).  There had been seven of them, Harry had destroyed the diary in the Chamber of Secrets with a basilisk tooth and Dumbledore had found the ring of Slytherin before he died.  Another one was a locket that Harry discovered was found by Sirius' brother and until recently had been in the Black's home.  They also discovered that Mundungus had lost it to Dolores Umbridge.  They had to get it back and find the others.  There were only so many ways to destroy the horcruxes.  Dumbledore had destroyed the ring with the sword of Gryffindor.  Many things happen to the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione during their adventures looking for the horcruxes and trying to stay one step ahead of Voldemort and the Death Eaters.  Harry has destroyed the locket and found the cup and needs something to destroy the cup with and remembers the basilisk in Hogwarts.  They need a way into the castle.  They aspirate into Hogsmead where Death Eaters are waiting for anything coming in or going out.  Dumbledore's brother shows them a way into Hogwarts and they meet up with the rest of the students there. They also need to find the diadem of Ravenclaw and destroy it.  Voldemort comes and the fight is on.  The only way to stop the fighting was for Harry to go to Voldemort in the woods.  Voldemort zaps Harry with his wand and believes he is dead.  The only thing that was dead was the Horcrux that was left in Harry the night his mother died.  Now the only part of his soul that is left is in the snake, Nagini.  Harry is still alive to fight.  Neville kills Nagini with the Sword of Gryffindor.  Harry kills Voldemort and the fight is over.  Nineteen years later Harry and Ginny are taking their children to meet the train to Hogwarts.  Ron and Hermione are there also.  All is well in the Wizarding World since the demise of Voldemort.

If you are going to read Harry Potter, start with the young boy of eleven and read your way through the series.  I realize it is a lot of reading but starting here is just the tip of the iceberg.  Watch Harry, Ron, and Hermione grow up under the influence of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.



I felt so happy when things went well and sad or afraid when they didn't.  I love this series (all seven of them) and especially this book.  It is always refreshing to get a series where almost all of the good guys survive to live another day.  What a good example of happy fantasy.