Thursday, December 21, 2006

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

So the new title is out for the latest and final Harry Potter book. When I first read the title Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I immediately did a retake. "Shouldn't that be hollows?" I asked. I suppose in many ways hallows is still appropriate. Hallows roughly mean to make something holy and I suppose vanquishing Voldemort would qualify as a purification of the wizarding world. By adding the word deathly, I suspect Rowling wants us to start speculating on whether or not she's willing to kill off Harry. I don't doubt someone major will die and I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the trio.

So why would I have wanted it to be hollows? To run full circle, I suppose. To a cerain degree, everything started in Godric's Hollow and a return to the hollow in this book is more than called for. I have no doubt the final battle will take place there, but then again, I'm not the writer so I could be wrong. So I should say, I think the final battle should take place there. Everything should culminate in a full circle, and Godric's Hollow would be the most logical place for that to happen.

But maybe she chose hallow for just that reason. A word that calls to mind hollow but then has it in it the deeper meanings of purification and holiness. The title doesn't exactly roll on the back of the tongue, and for someone who is accused of over using adverbs, I find it hilarious she uses 'deathly' in her title.

Either way, I'm now juiced up and ready for the final book. I've picked up book five again, and I've forgotten nearly everything. I really don't remember book six at all....

I think I'm finally to a point where I'm okay with the fact these books are going to end, even though I will miss them greatly.