jacket image on US version: the showdown between Voldemort & Harry takes place at sunrise [orange sky] in the great hall, and the moment pictured is just after Harry disarms him and the wand flies up into the air, and Harry [and V] reach up to catch it. The moment he catches it is when Voldemort dies, which makes it a very compelling scene to select. The only small problem is that it appears to be an outdoor space with some kind of wall, instead of an indoor space because she had to depict the enchanted ceiling as sky, which is a bit confusing but makes sense. It was and is by far my favorite cover of the 3 versions, despite the tai chi jokes people were making when it first was shown. [ I still cannot comprehend how that Gringotts version got approved!] nice review! I'd also like to add that amidst the carnage and despair there were still a small amount of good laughs & funny lines. Not a laugh riot, but enough to keep things at a certain level.

Brava! Nice review indeed. I also found the interminable wanderings in the woods very hard to take--more excruciating than the many deaths, in fact.

I found this book absolutely hysterical. The funniest of the 7, I think, and that really surprised me (in a good way). I was often laughing, whooping for joy (c'mon Neville's Gran kicking some Death Eater butt?) and sobbing all at the same time. But, like you, I feel like someone has left me behind. I don't think I entirely realize that Harry & co aren't real. And I'm OK with that.

I was satisfied, yes...but I still wanted more resolution. The Hallows concept annoyed me to no end. I think Rowling had all she could handle settling the Horcrux issue, ending the Dark Lord's reign, fitting in romance, battle scenes...why add the Hallows issue? I just felt like it was superfluous. On the whole, though, I enjoyed it. I laughed, I cried, and Rowling still managed to surprise me after all these years (Hedwig?!?!?!).

Thank you for a good and through review. Not that I wouldn't expect that of you in general, understand, but for this book many people are being so careful that the reviews are useless. That said, I made sure not to read your post - or almost anything - until I had finished the book. The Tonks and Lupin deaths annoyed me as trying to make some sort of death quota. And I've never seen Mrs. Weasley as Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. Little off-style there. Overall, though, satisfying seems a good term.

I've been avoiding this review, too. I finally finished the book about 20 min. ago. I'm very happy with the ending, which is rare for me with series I love this much. I'd like to know, though, how Neville got that sword??? Did I miss something? I burst into tears as I finished the last line. You see, my mother passed away last month. She loved this series as much as I, and was bewildered by the ending of "Half-Blood Prince." She really believed that Snape was one of the good guys. She was really looking forward to the resolution. She'd be so glad to see she was right about him.

klonghall - Neville got the sword because he is a true Gryffindor, and he needed it. Remember when Harry pulled it out of the Sorting Hat in the Chamber of Secrets, and Dumbledore told him that only a true Gryffindor could have done that? Same thing. It also means that Griphook the goblin was lying about the sword really belonging to a goblin.