Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

I have been putting off writing this review for SOO long because I wanted to write something deserving of the phenomenal book. I finally got around to it! :)

I began this book with very high expectations, and (as per usual with the Harry Potter series) I was completely blown away. J.K. Rowling has once again come up with a masterpiece that is above and beyond my expectations and can be contested by no other. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and last installment of the legendary Harry Potter series and by far the most emotional, exciting, action-packed, intense, hilarious, and heartbreaking novel of them all. It is my personal favorite book of all time. I remember with absolute clarity the day this book came out. July 21, 2007. I had it pre-ordered (of course) and I was on my doorstep from 6 am, waiting for my parcel to arrive. I remember watching the postman walk up my front path, my package in hand. I remember eagerly ripping off the wrapping paper, my hands shaking, and looking at the cover for the first time. And I remember reading my book for the first time. I remember the feelings of excitement, pity, sharp intakes of breath, tears, sorrow and disbelief. All these raw emotions packed into the 759-page book. This is the book that changed my life.

Enough with all the reminiscing- let my explain to you just why I loved this book so much, and why you will love it too.

Harry has matured and developed SO much throughout this series, and in Deathly Hallows this really comes through. He is not afraid of death, he does not run from death, he instead embraces it and chooses time and time again to sacrifice himself for the good of his friends. He fights with everything he has to save the wizarding world from Voldemort. And he emerges from the ashes with his head held high, strong and proud. I don't even know where to begin with Harry. What a perfect protagonist he is.
He is selfless and courageous, and although he makes mistakes, he always works through them and prospers. Another character who really impressed me was Ron. Yes, he runs away. Yes, he is a brat. But he comes back. The way this is written and presented to us is so perfect, so emotional and unsure, that I couldn't help but feel Hermione and Harry's pain; live their nightmare along with them. Hermione will always be Hermione. There is no other character like her, and she carries her know-it-all attitude along with her in Deathly Hallows. And it is her smarts which save the three-some on many occasions.

The plot! This book is full to the brim. J.K. Rowling ties up all the loose ends very well in Deathly Hallows; she clears up any confusion she had in place, and provides us with an amazing ending for the series. The twists in this book were so shocking and unexpected that I never knew what to think or believe. I lost count of the number of times I completely lost it in this book; just sat down and bawled my eyes out. Because the way Rowlings' ideas are presented to us, either abruptly or slowly brought in, are so emotional and perfect that they completely draw me in. I lose myself in the book. One of the things that shocked me the most was my pity and love for Snape. A character I had hated with all my heart for six novels now drew my deepest sympathies and emotions. I didn't love him, but I felt sorry for him and wanted him to stay. He deserved more than what he got.

The writing is flawless. I have come to expect great things from J.K. Rowling, and I am never disappointed. The book is almost 800 pages long, but never once did I lose interest. Not once did I put it down thinking "I'll come back to this later." I couldn't bear to tear my eyes away from the page, leave this exciting, emotional, sad, sad world. Rowlings' writing style is so pure and emotional that you love her characters, you feel her pain. It is absolutely phenomenal.

If you haven't read this book, your life is not complete. This is an absolute must-read book. It's my favorite book of all time, and I am sure that it will be for any other person who even begins reading. Have fun and arm yourself with lots of tissues- you're going to need them!